C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000431
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CEN
WHA/FO FOR A/S SHANNON AND PDAS KELLY
WHA/OAS FOR AMB MORALES
NSC FOR DIRECTOR RESTREPO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2019
TAGS: PREL, OAS, KSUM, CU, HO
SUBJECT: ZELAYA SHARES DETAILS ON OAS CUBA RESOLUTION
NEGOTIATIONS
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 405 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d).
1. (C) El presidente Manuel “Mel” Zelaya compartió detalles, en una reunión del 7 de junio con el embajador, acompañado por el MCD, sobre las negociaciones con los miembros del ALBA y Cuba, acerca de las negociaciones sobre Cuba en la Asamblea General de la Organización de Estados Americanos en San Pedro Sula el 2 y 3 de junio.
Zelaya dijo que su objetivo en las negociaciones era tomar en cuenta el interés de todos. Dijo que si bien las negociaciones fueron difíciles, él creía que había cumplido su meta. Zelaya elogió a la secretaria Hillary Clinton por su trabajo durante la Asamblea General, añadiendo que él pensaba que en su segunda y última reunión, había presentado un caso muy convincente y de gran alcance para la posición de EUA, y que le habría afectado en gran medida a él.
De hecho, dijo, que mientras él y muchos otros de la OEA pronto se dieron cuenta del valor de la oferta de EUA para apoyar una resolución para quitar las prohibiciones a Cuba, siempre y cuando se pidiera a Cuba cumplir con el requisito de solicitar la adhesión a la OEA y cumplir con los principios de la OEA; convencer a los demás miembros del ALBA a aceptar el texto había sido difícil.
Zelaya dijo que la razón por la cual no pudo proporcionar a la delegación de EUA un texto en la noche del 2 de junio se debió a la intransigencia del ALBA.
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000431
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CEN
WHA/FO FOR A/S SHANNON AND PDAS KELLY
WHA/OAS FOR AMB MORALES
NSC FOR DIRECTOR RESTREPO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2019
TAGS: PREL, OAS, KSUM, CU, HO
SUBJECT: ZELAYA SHARES DETAILS ON OAS CUBA RESOLUTION
NEGOTIATIONS
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 405 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d).
1. (C) President Manuel &Mel8 Zelaya shared details in a June a 7 meeting with the Ambassador, accompanied by the DCM, on his negotiations with ALBA members and Cuba over the negotiations on Cuba at the Organization of American StatesGeneral Assembly in San Pedro Sula June 2 and 3. Zelaya said that his goal on the negotiations was to take everyone's interest into account; he said that while the negotiations were difficult, he believed that he had met his goal. Zelaya praised Secretary Hillary Clinton for her work during the
General Assembly, adding that he thought that in their second and last meeting she had made a very convincing and powerful case for the U.S. position, which had impacted greatly on him. In fact, he said, that while he and many other OAS embers quickly realized the value of the U.S. offer to support a resolution dropping the Cuba ban as long as it included a requirement that Cuba apply for membership and
that membership be contingent on Cuba adhering to OAS principles, convincing fellow ALBA members to accept the text had been difficult. Zelaya said that the reason he was unable to provide the U.S. delegation with a text the night of June 2 was due to ALBA intransience. Zelaya said that he spoke with President Hugo Chavez, Daniel Ortega and other ALBA members to press them to accept the compromise draft, eventually threatening to withdraw Honduras from ALBA if they did not agree (please protect). He said that he had told
Chavez and Ortega that as hosts of the Assembly the lack of agreement would be a major disaster for him personally and for his government. Zelaya also said that he had made one final call to Fidel Castro, who gave his approval of the draft. By the morning of June 3, Zelaya said ALBA members changed their positions and agreed to accept the draft.
2. (C) Zelaya also spoke of the difficulty of dealing with the ALBA presidents who visited or wanted to visit the assembly. Zelaya said that President Daniel Ortega insisted on speaking at the inaugural session of the assembly, which the GOH controlled. Zelaya said, however, that, true to his word to us (reftel), only OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza and he spoke. He said that he offered Ortega instead
a press conference after the inaugural session, to which Ortega eventually agreed. President Rafael Correa, who was in Honduras for a bilateral visit before and during the visit, also demanded a speaking role and decided not to attend the assembly when Zelaya refused. Chavez also pressed him for a speaking role, Zelaya said, and in the end did not attend.
3. (C) Comment: Zelaya found himself trapped between his desire to please both the U.S. and his ALBA friends at the OAS. The need to produce a successful assembly won out, however, and Zelaya successfully pressured ALBA to accept our text. The Secretary's presence was important, as Zelaya wants good relations with the new administration and wanted her visit to be successful. Zelaya kept his word to us on not allowing any of the ALBA presidents to speak at the assembly, at some effort according to his version. We note, however, that had he not issued them invitations, he would not have had to fend of their speaking requests.
LLORENS
