VZCZCXYZ0012
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTG #0472 0752246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 162246Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5252
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN 0030
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1109
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 7355

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000472 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PREL NU HO
SUBJECT: HONDURAS DEMARCHED ON ENGAGING NICARAGUA 
 
REF: STATE 029660 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU) Acting Polcouns delivered demarche to Foreign Vice 
Minister Enrique Reina and Ambassador Eduardo Rosales, the 
Foreign Ministry's Director of Exterior Affairs, on March 15, 
2007 (reftel) on engaging Nicaragua.  Polcouns made it clear 
that the demarche was not/not in relation to the maritime 
discussions between Honduras and Nicaragua currently at the 
Hague. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Vice Minister replied that Honduras shares the 
same expectations in its relationship with Honduras as the 
points made by Acting Polcouns from the demarche.  He 
mentioned that the Zelaya administration is engaging 
constructively with Honduras as the two countries face 
similar problems.  He said that Daniel Ortega visited 
Honduras recently, as well as other Central American 
countries, and expects that Nicaragua will continue to 
respect the private sector and work together towards 
strengthening Central American integration.  The Vice 
Minister said that any kind of instability, such as 
narcotrafficking, affects all of Central America. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The Vice Minister also informed Acting Polcouns 
that Honduras proposed to Nicaragua a joint commission, which 
was welcomed by Nicaragua, to implement the decision at the 
Hague about the maritime dispute between the two countries. 
The commission will assist in carrying out any sanctions and 
actions required by the decision of the Hague, similar to 
what Honduras and El Salvador did in 1992.  Vice Minister 
Reina indicated that there was a misunderstanding in the 
public about the purpose of the commission.  (NOTE:  Some in 
the press and Congress believed that it was a way to 
circumvent the Hague process.  END NOTE.)  The Vice Minister 
assured Acting Polcouns that in no way was this commission 
meant to get around the Hague process, and he did not seem 
overly worried about this misperception. 
FORD