FONMIN'S VIEW ON SALVADORAN/HONDURAN BORDER TENSION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000400140025-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 12, 2012
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: July 19, 1967
• Content Type: CABLE

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/28: CIA-RDP08C01297R000400140025-8
AitliiG TELEGRAM Department of State
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Action
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Info
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03587 CONFIDENTIAL
PIZ CZ CE SB516E XX706V V AL A988
PP RUEHC
DE RUESAL 96 2002320
ZNY CCCCC
P R 192302Z JUL 67
FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
TO RUEHC/ SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUE STE/ AMEMBA SSY TEGUCIGALPA
INFO RUESTT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
RUESMG/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
RUESJO/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
R UE SV A/ AMEM BA SSY PANAMA
ST ATE GR NC
BT
USIA
NSC
DOD
Al.D
PC
CLI
:SR
RSC RSC
A L N SALVADOR 96.)
SUBJECT: FONM IN' S VIEW ON SALVADORAN/ HOND URAN
thORDER TENSION
1, MASS DEPORTATION, UNDER QUEST IONABLE C IR CUMSTA NCES, OF
ABOUT TWO HUNDRED SALVADORANS RESIDING IN THE SANTA AND MARC
AREAS IN HOND UARS HAS REOPENED A CANCEROUS SORE CAUSING D ISTR UST
NATIONALISTIC OUTS LR ST S, DISGUST AND A CALL-TO-ARMS AMONGST 25X1
THE AVERAGE SALVADORAN. HERETOFORE, SALVADORANS REMAINED CAL
CONSIDEREDBORDER INCIDENT AS Jusr ANOTHER OCCURCENCE.
2. SALT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE WOUND BY HONDURAN PUBLICATION OF AN
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ALLEGED OFFICIAL MAP CLAIMING LARGE AMOUNTS OF SALVADORAN TERRTORIY.
FONM IN HAS LODGED FORMAL PROTEST AGAINST HONDURAS FOR PUBLICA T ION OF
MAP, ALTHOUGH ?PROTE ST WAS "PRO FORMA- FOR IRE RECORD. 25X1
3. AMBASSADOR AND DCM CALLED ON FONM IN ON ROUT INE COURTESY CALL..
FONM IN AVAILED H IMS,E4L.F OF OPPORTUNITY TO EMPHASIZE FACT HE. AND GOES
MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT RECENT EXPULSION OF SALVADORANS
FROM HONDURAS. THERE IS sERrous UNREST AMONGST MILITARY AND THEY ARE
MAKING IT KNOWN TO PRESIDENT SA NC HEZ THAT FIRM STAND MUST dE TA KEN
AGAINST HONDURAS. NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS ARE MARKING EMOTIONAL APPEAL
TO DEFEND SALVADORAN HONOR. MAN ON STREET IS NOW TAKING AG?RE SS IV E
ATT IT UDE. LAW YERS, INFL UE NT IAL GR OUP HERE , ARE DEMAND IN G ACT ION SE
I TAKEN AGAINST HONDURAS. PRESENTLY LAWYERS COMMITTEE CHECKING bORDER
POINTS AND WILL REPORT TO PRESIDENT. HAVE PERSONALLY TALKED TO
? VARIOUS MEMBERS OF BAR ASSOC IA T ION AND LAWYERS
ARE PRESSURING SANCHEZ FOR ACT ION-AGA INST HONDURAS. ,
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/28: CIA-RDP08C01297R000400140025-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/28: CIA-RDP08C01297R000400140025-8
CONFIDENTIAL
-2- SAN SALVADOR 96 7/19/67
4. FONMIN APPRECIATES ANY COOPERATION EMBASSY CAN OFFER GOES THROUGH
OUR EMBASSY TEGUC IGALPA. HE FEELS IF GOR IS MADE AWARE OF. FACTS,
EXPULSIONS AND OT HER UNTIMELY ACTS WOULD CEASE.
FONMIN DESIRE IS EXPULSION CEASE AND DIALOGUE CAN BE STARTED WITH
GOES AND GOH.
5. WELL KNOWN TO GOES HON) URAS DID NOT W IT kORAW ITS TROOPS A S
AGREED. ALSO RUMORS PREVAIL HONDURAN SOLDIERS CHANGED TO CIVILIAN
CLOTHES AND REMAINED IN AREA. DISLODGED FAMILIES ARE HOMELESS AND
LEFT AT MERCY OF CHARITY. MANY OF DEPARTTED CHILDREN ARE HONDURAN-
BORN AND SOME OF WIVES ARE AL SO HONDURAN.
6. FONMIN AT THIS POINT SAYS.GOES WILLING TO RELEASE THREE HONDURAN
PR I SONERS, EXCEPT MARTINEZ ARGUET A. RELEASE OF MARTINEZ AkGUETA AT
THIS POINT WC:111.D CAUSE SERIOUS INTERNAL DISORDERS. FONMIN FEELS
MKT IiVEZ ARGUETA CASE COULD BE LEFT IN ABEYANCE
AND SOLUTION COLLO BE FOUND LATER ON SOME LEGAL GROUND. FONMIN
SAYS IF SALVADORAN SOLDIERS RELEASED TENSION SHOULD BE SUCH AS TO
OPEN DOOR TO NEGOT IAT IONS. FONMIN, HIS PERSONAL OPINION AND NOT
CLEARED BY GOES, 'SUGGESTS IT BEST SCLDIERS BE RELEASED Y OFFICERS
BE RETAINED IN HOND1RAS? AS FACE-SAVING DEV ICE, GOES WOULD RE QUEST
RELEASE OF OFFICERS, BUT ? IN REALITY PREFERABLE OFFICERS REMAIN IN
HOND UARS. HE FEELS IF OFFICERS ALLOWED TO RETURN TO SALVADOR
COURT MART IAL PROCEEDINGS W:DULD BE INITIATED. THIS WOULD CREATE
EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS IN COMMUNITY AND UPSET APPLE CART.
7. DISC USSED ARCHBISHOPS FORMULA WITH FONMIt4 AND HE GAVE EMBASSY
COPY. WILLINGLY ACCEPT ARCHBISHOPS, AS MED IATORS, BUT FORMULA
IS IMPRACTICAL. OBJECT ION TO FORMULA IS RECOMMENDAT ION
THAT AMBASSADORS FROM GUATEMALA, NICARAGUA AND COSTA RICA ASSIGNED
to HONDURAS AND EL SALVADOR FORM MED IAT ION COMMITTEE. IT IS IN-
CONCEIVABLE AN AMBASSADOR ACCR ED ITED TO EL SALVADOR OR HONDURAS
COULD BE OBJECTIVE AND IMPARTIAL. THE CONCERN OF BEING CONSIDERED "NON -
GRATA" BY THE COUNTRY OF HIS ACCREDITATION WOULD DEFEAT PURPOSE OF
COMMITTEE. FONMIN SUGGEST S INSTEAD OF AMBASSADOR ON COMMITTEE TO
SUBST IT UTE PRESIDENTS OF RESPECTIVE SUPREME COURTS.
S. GUATEMALAN AMBASSADOR GARZIA GRANAD OS IN EL SALVADOR HAS EX-
PRESSED HIS COUNTRY'S DESIRE TO ACT AS MEDIATOR. FONMIN HAS
SUGGESTED PER HAPS GUATEMALA, COSTA RICA AND NICARAGUAN FONMIN,
ALONG WITH .ARCHBISHOPS, COULD FORM A MEDIATION COMMITTEE.
MEGA SECT. GENERAL WOULD ALSO FORM PART OF COMMITTEE.
GUATEMALA ACCEPTS THIS AND PROBABLY WILL BE SUBM IT TED TO HONDURAS
FOR CONSIDERATION. EL SALVADOR ACCEPTS THIS FORMULA.
CONFIDENTIAL
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/28 : CIA-RDP08C01297R000400140025-8
I Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/28: CIA-RDP08C01297R000400140025-8
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CONFIDENTIAL
SAN SALVADOR 96 7/19/67
9. MARTINEZ MORENO ,--FONM IN, KNOWS RIVERA CALLED LOPEZ
ARELLANO VERAL TIMES AND HOND 'ul? AN PRESIDENT REF USE.D TO TALK
TO R IVER A. ALSO RIVERA SENT PERSONAL EMISSARIES TO TALK TO LOPEZ
ARELLANO AND THEY WERE NOT RECEIVED. IN VIEW OF THESE FACT 5, SANCHEZ
WILL NOT SENT ANY REPRESENTATIVES TO SEE HONDURAN PRESIDENT.
,,FONM IN HAD COL. OSCAR OSOR 10, FORMER SALVADORAN PRESIDENT AND
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BRANNON, PROMINENT ATTORNEY, ASSIGNED TO VISIT LOPEZ
l'ARELLANO BUT PRESIDENT SANCHEZ PUT STOP TO IT.
10/ JUNIOR OFFICERS IN MILITARY ARE FORMALLY REQUESTING SALVADOR
, BREAK RELATIONS WITH HONDURAS. UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ARE GETTING INTO
'ACT AND FEAR EXISTS THEY MAY TAKE TO STREETS.
11. COMMENT: IMPERATIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN SANCMEL AND LOPEZ AkELLANO
BE STARTED. THERE IS TOO MUCH SHADOW BOXING BY SUBORDINATES AND TIME
HAS COME I. OR CHIEF EXECUTIVES TO COMMUNICATE. STRONGLY URGE
:EMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA, ONLY ON DEPARTMENT' S APPROVAL, CONTACT HONDURAN
PRESIDENT AND SUGGEST EXPULSIONS CEASE AND EFFORT BE MADE TO NE-
{.San TATE IN GOOD FAITH. MANY DETAILS AMBASSADORS JOVA AND CASTRO CAN
pIscuss TO CLEAR WATERS, THIS CAN BE BEST BE DONE PERSONALLY.
' SUGGEST EITHER JOV A OR CASTRO VISIT EACH OTHER IN VERY DISCREET
,1 MANNER FOR FEW HOURS SO TRUE PICT URE CAN BE APPRECIATED. IN THIS
MANNER BETTER REPRESENTATIONS CAN SE MADE TO RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENT S.
'
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FULLY AWARVOF DANGER OF CHARGE OF MEDDL ING IN AFFAIRS OF COUNTRY.
SATISFIED ' :JOVA AND CASTRO CAN EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH FANFARE. MISSION
AIRCRAFT1CANSE uriLizED.
ALTERNATIVEAS SUGGEST AMBASSADOR JOV A AND CASTRO MEET IN GUATEMALA
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'TO OBVIATE ANY CAUSE FOR GOSSIP. FEEL GREAT BENEFIT CAN BE DERIVED
FROM EXCHANGE. AND QUESTION RAISED ABOUT GUATEMALA TRIP CAN BE
ATTRIBUTED TO ROCAP1, BUSINESS.
'CASTRO
CONFIDENTIAL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/28: CIA-RDP08C01297R000400140025-8