VZCZCXYZ0031
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #9005 3221746
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181559Z NOV 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1314/1315
INFO RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA PRIORITY 5993/5994

UNCLAS STATE 119005 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (ADDED SENSITIVE CAPTION) 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM HO JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST ON HONDURAS ELECTION 
 
1.(U) Paragraphs 2 and 9 contain an action request. 
 
2.(U) Summary: The USG remains committed to finding a 
peaceful resolution to the political crisis in Honduras that 
results in the prompt restoration of the democratic 
constitutional order.  As part of that effort, we continue to 
pursue efforts to convince the Honduran sides to implement 
the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord (TSJA), which includes a 
robust and credible international observation effort for 
Honduras, scheduled November 29 elections.  Department 
requests that Embassy Tokyo demarche the Government of Japan 
at an appropriately senior level to urge support for 
observers and to urge it to follow through on its commitment 
to support the Honduran Supreme Election Tribunal,s (TSE) 
custodial program to enhance the integrity of the voting and 
tallying processes.  The Embassy can draw on points in 
paragraph 9 below.  End summary 
 
¶3. (U) On October 30, representatives of deposed President of 
Honduras Manuel Zelaya and de facto regime leader Roberto 
Micheletti signed the TSJA, which provides a mechanism 
through which democratic and constitutional order can be 
restored in Honduras after President Zelaya was deposed and 
expelled from the country on June 28. The TSJA provides for 
the establishment of a government of national unity and 
reconciliation, refers the question of restoring Zelaya to 
the presidency to the Honduran Congress, establishes a 
four-person verification commission to adjudicate disputes 
over interpretation of the Accord, and calls for the 
establishment of a truth commission following the 
inauguration of a new government on January 27, 2010. The 
Accord is the result of four months of intense engagement on 
the part of the international community, primarily by the 
Organization of American States (OAS), our partners in the 
region, and the United States. The Accord is a Honduran 
solution agreed to by both parties and it represents the best 
path toward the resolution of this protracted political 
crisis in Honduras. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Before and after the June 28 coup, the United States 
maintained its support for democratic and constitutional 
order in Honduras and strongly opposed the coup and resulting 
limitations on human rights and fundamental freedoms. The USG 
refused to recognize the de facto regime, suspended or 
terminated certain types of assistance, stopped processing 
non-immigrant visas, and revoked visas of key de facto regime 
officials and supporters.  In addition, Honduras was 
suspended from the OAS through a decision of the OAS General 
Assembly adopted by consensus.  Furthermore, the 
Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank suspended 
disbursements. With the TSJA in place, Embassy Tegucigalpa 
has reopened the NIV section and the USG is considering what 
further sanctions may be lifted as the TSJA is implemented 
and the democratic order is restored. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Honduras now turns its attention to implementing the 
TSJA and holding free, fair, and transparent elections on 
November 29. Step by step implementation of the Accord is 
critical to restore the democratic and constitutional order 
in Honduras.  As a solution by and for the Honduran people, 
the United States is strongly supportive of the TSJA, and 
will assist in its implementation.  The United States is 
providing financial assistance to the verification commission 
formed in accordance with the TSJA and U.S. Secretary of 
Labor Hilda Solis is one of two international members of the 
four-person commission. The United States is also strongly 
committed to supporting a robust and credible domestic and 
international observation of the elections, especially 
considering the critical need to restore the democratic order 
in Honduras. The TSE is an independent institution which was 
in place well before the June 28 coup interrupted democratic 
governance in Honduras.  The U.S. continued its technical 
assistance to the TSE even while imposing restrictions on 
other types of assistance as a result of the coup. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Through the U.S. Agency for International 
Development, the United States is providing $1.9 million in 
assistance for the entire 2009 election process, including 
the primary elections held last November.  For the upcoming 
November 29 general elections, we are providing $466,000 in 
technical assistance to the TSE to strengthen its 
capabilities to administer the elections and transmit 
accurate results in a timely manner.  We are also providing 
$635,000 to Honduran NGOs to support their efforts to 
organize and train domestic observers and establish a quick 
count process to detect signs of potential fraud and 
manipulation of election results.  The United States is also 
planning to furnish about $650,000 to send at least 30 
U.S.-based election observers from non-governmental 
organizations. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Due to the political uncertainty in the months prior 
to the signing of the TSJA, NGOs and international 
organizations that might have fielded election observers 
under normal circumstances delayed preparations to do so. The 
USG is moving rapidly to field election observers and hopes 
that other governments will either deploy observers of their 
own or support efforts of other organizations to do so. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The Department understands the TSE has been 
negotiating with the Japanese Embassy in Tegucigalpa for 
months regarding $2.5 million in Japanese Government support 
for the elections. According to the information provided to 
Embassy Tegucigalpa, the TSE has not yet received any funding 
from the Government of Japan.  The TSE had been counting on 
this aid to fund its &custodio8 program, which places a TSE 
representative at each of the country,s polling locations. 
These representatives play a crucial role in assuring the 
integrity of the balloting process and reporting results to 
the TSE. 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) Action: Department requests Embassy Tokyo to deliver 
a demarche to the GOJ at the highest appropriate level to 
achieve the following objectives: 
 
--   Underscore the importance of the November 29 elections 
as a critical step to restoring the constitutional and 
democratic order in Honduras following the June 28 coup. 
 
-     Thank the Government of Japan for their continued 
strong interest in Honduras and their pledge of assistance 
for the upcoming elections 
 
 
--   Urge the Japanese to follow through their commitment to 
support the TSE,s custodial program as soon as possible. 
 
--   Encourage Japan to send election observers to support a 
robust and credible international monitoring effort for the 
Honduran elections. 
 
--    Stress that the United States would welcome a decision 
by the Government of Japan to send observers on a bilateral 
basis. 
 
--   Note that while the international community, including 
the United States, has many concerns about an election held 
while the de facto regime is in control, the USG goal has 
always been to help the Honduran restore the democratic order 
in their country.  We see free, fair and transparent 
elections as part of the solution to the crisis. 
 
¶10. (U) Post should report results of efforts by cable to 
WHA/CEN Honduras desk officer Maria Gabriela Zambrano at 
202-647-3482 or via email at zambranomg@state.sgov.gov. 
CLINTON