PRESIDENT AZCONA DEFINES FURTHER HIS POSITION ON NICARAGUA AND THE CONTRAS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950011-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 3, 2011
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: April 27, 1986
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/29: CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950011-4
MSGNO 2 (STXX) *04/27/86* *16:08:11.1.4*
ZCZC 21:07:10Z (ST)
EMI DTG : 86042715054452
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86 0699859 SCP NC 0699859
TOR: 271845Z APR 86
TEGUCI 06129
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PP RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
STU6569
PP RUEHC RUEHLL
DE RUEHTG #6129/01 1171835
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 271832Z APR 86
FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0417
INFO RUEHLL/CONTADORA COLLECTIVE
RUEOEHA/USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PN
BT
EZ 1:
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE TEGUCIGALPA 06129
EZ2:
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PINS9 PGOV, PREL, H0, NU
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT AZCONA DEFINES FURTHER HIS POSITION
ON NICARAGUA AND THE CONTRAS
1. (LOU) SUMMARY: IN A SERIES OF PRESS INTERVIEWS
OVER PAST TWO WEEKS, PRESIDENT AZCONA HAS BEEN CONFRONTED
WITH REPEATED QUESTIONS ABOUT NICARAGUA AND THE ANTI-
SANDINISTAS. HIS ANSWERS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT, AND
PROVIDED ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS BEYOND HIS APRIL 4 SPEECH
ABOUT HIS CURRENT VIEWS ON THE ISSUES. HE HAS GONE
BEYOND ACKNOWLEDGING A CONTRA "PRESENCE" IN HONDURAS TO
ADMIT THE EXISTENCE OF "PROVISIONAL CAMPS," WHICH
HONDURAS CANNOT CONTROL. HE BELIEVES U.S. AID TO THE
CONTRAS IS MORALLY JUSTIFIED. HE THINKS PASSAGE OF THE
U.S. $100 MILLION DOLLAR AID BILL IS ADVISABLE FOR
HONDURAS, AND WILL PROVIDE USEFUL PRESSURE FOR A
DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION IN NICARAGUA. HE BELIEVES THAT
SANDINISTA NICARAGUA IS "FASCIST" AND "ANOTHER CUBA";
THAT IT IS EXPANSIONIST AND EXPORTS SUBVERSION; AND
C N F I D E N T I w
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THAT THE SANDINISTAS HAVE DISREGARDED THEIR OAS COMMIT-
MENTS AND HELD ELECTIONS IN WHICH THE "FSLN HAD TO WIN."
2. (LOU) ON THE OTHER HAND, AZCONA HAS PLACED SOME
MARKERS THAT ARE CLEARLY INTENDED TO LIMIT HIS ENDORSEMENT
OF THE ANTI-SANDINISTAS. HE STRESSES OFTEN THAT THEY
SHOULD BE IN NICARAGUA RATHER THAN HONDURAS, AND THAT
U.S. AID TO THEM "NEED NOT" FLOW THROUGH HONDURAS. HE
DENIES COOPERATION BETWEEN HONDURAN ARMED FORCES AND
THE CONTRAS. HONDURAS IS NEUTRAL, AND WILL NOT BE
USED AS A PLATFORM FOR FOREIGN FORCES TO INVADE
NICARAGUA. FINALLY, HONDURAS WILL SEEK TO REMOVE THE
CONTRAS WITH SIGNATURE OF A CONTADORA AGREEMENT. END
SUMMARY.
3. (U) IN A SERIES OF PUBLISHED INTERVIEWS WITH THE
PRESS OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, PRESIDENT AZCONA HAS
GIVEN FURTHER SHAPE TO THE POLICY OF HIS ADMINISTRATION
WITH REGARD TO NICARAGUA AND THE ANTI-SANDINISTA
INSURGENCY. SOME OF HIS POINTS WERE ALREADY COVERED IN
HIS APRIL 4 SPEECH (REFTEL), BUT OTHERS ARE NEW.
SUMMARIES OR QUOTES OF HIS REMARKS IN VARIOUS INTERVIEWS
ARE ORGANIZED BELOW INTO FURTHER PUBLIC ADMISSIONS OF
ANTI-SANDINISTA USE OF HONDURAN TERRITORY; FAVORABLE
STATEMENTS ABOUT ANTI-SANDINISTAS; CRITICISMS OF THE
SANDINISTAS; AND THE LIMITS OF HONDURAN POLICY, INCLUDING
WHAT HONDURAS WOULD NOT REPEAT NOT DO FOR THE CONTRAS.
4. (U) CONTRAS IN HONDURAS:
- --THE CONTRAS ARE USING HONDURAN TERRITORY AS A BASE
OF OPERATIONS AND HAVE SET UP CAMPS ON THE BORDER WITH
NICARAGUA.
- --HONDURAS CANNOT CONTROL ITS VAST BORDER NOW AND
WOULD REQUIRE MORE FUNDS THAN IT HAS TO DO S0, AND HAS
NO WAY TO PREVENT THE CONTRAS ACCESS TO THEIR "PROVISIONAL
CAMPS.
5. (U) ATTITUDE TOWARD ANTI-SANDINISTAS:
--PRESIDENT REAGAN'S REQUEST FOR FUNDS FOR THE
INSURGENTS IS "NOT AMORAL" IF BASED ON THE VIEW THAT THE
GON IS A THREAT TO U.S. SECURITY AND SEEKS TO SPREAD
MARXISM IN THE REGION.
--"I THINK THAT IT IS MORE ADVISABLE FOR HONDURAS
THAT THE $100 MILLION DOLLARS BE APPROVED (RATHER THAN
DEFEATED IN CONGRESS)."
- --U.S. ASSISTANCE WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT MEANS OF
EXERTING PRESSURE ON THE SANDINISTAS TO LOOK FOR A
POLITICAL END TO THE CIVIL WAR. THIS PRESSURE WOULD BE
MORE EFFECTIVE IF THE GOVERNMENTS OF EUROPE AND LATIN
AMERICA SUPPORTED THE U.S. IN INSISTING THAT THE
SANDINISTAS CREATE A MORE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENT.
- --THE CONTRAS HAVE THEIR OWN GENESIS; "WE DIDN'T
C 0 N F I DENT I A
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CREATE THEM."
- --"THE SOLUTION TO THE NICARAGUAN PROBLEM IS IN THE
HANDS OF THE NICARAGUANS AND NO ONE ELSE."
6. (U) CRITICISMS OF THE SANDINISTAS:
- --"I AM GLAD THAT THE NICARAGUAN REGIME HAS NOT
CONSOLIDATED, BECAUSE IT IS BASED ON A DOGMATIC SYSTEM
AND BECAUSE IT IS AN EXTRANEOUS BODY--THE SAME AS CUBA--
C O N F I D E N T I A L
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 02 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 06129
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PINS9 PGOV, PREL, HO, NU
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT AZCONA DEFINES FURTHER HIS POSITION
IN LATIN AMERICA."
- --"IN VIEW OF THE MARXISTS EXPANSIONISM THEY MAY
WANT TO EXPAND THEIR DOCTRINE TO HONDURAS THROUGH
SUBVERSION, TRAINING, AND SO FORTH. THAT IS THE DANGER
LOOMING OVER US BECAUSE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY WE WANT
TO LIVE IN DEMOCRACY."
- --"LET THE NICARAGUAN PEOPLE DECIDE INTERNALLY IF THEY
AGREE WITH THE SANDINISTA SYSTEM OR IF THEY ARE AGAINST
THAT SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN FULL
FREEDOM AND NOT LIKE IN THE PAST ELECTIONS WHERE THE
FSLN HAD TO WIN."
- --"THE NICARAGUAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD RESPECT THE COM-
MITMENTS IT HAS WITH THE OAS, AND SHOULD GIVE FREEDOM
TO THE NICARAGUAN PEOPLE. WE ARE SURE THAT IF THE
NICARAGUAN GOVERNMENT ADOPTS THESE DECISIONS IT WILL NOT
BE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE THE PACIFICATION OF NICARAGUA.
THEY SHOULD TALK WITH THE ARMED OPPOSITION AS WELL AS
THE UNARMED OPPOSITION. THEY SHOULD PROMISE TRUE
ELECTIONS."
- --"WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN CUBA AND WE ARE SEEING
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN NICARAGUA. THE COUNTRY OR
GOVERNMENT, THAT NEGLECTS ITS CITIZENS WITH ITS ACTIONS
IS NOT A GOOD GOVERNMENT. THAT IS FASCISM."
- --"THE PROBLEM IS THE NICARAGUANS. WHY DO THE
CONTRAS EXIST? WHY DO THE REFUGEES EXIST? BECAUSE THEY
ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT GOVERNMENT, AND THAT IS
VERY CLEAR, AS WAS THE CASE WITH SOMOZA. WHY DID THEY
OUST SOMOZA? WHY DID THEY DISAGREE WITH SOMOZA? WHAT
ABOUT US? IS IT OUR DUTY TO GUARD THEIR REAR WHILE THEY
ARE DOING AS THEY PLEASE IN NICARAGUA? THAT IS NOT MY
DUTY."
- --"ON OUR PART THERE CAN BE NO CO-EXISTENCE. IS THERE
ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD WHERE MARXISM HAS NOT MADE
ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND ITS REACH?"
7. (U) LIMITS OF HONDURAN POLICY:
- --WITH SIGNATURE OF THE CONTADORA ACTA, HONDURAS WILL
SEEK TO REMOVE THE CONTRAS FROM ITS TERRITORY
IMMEDIATELY.
- --HONDURAS IS "NEUTRAL," THOUGH IT HOPES FOR A
C 0 N F I DENT I A
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DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION IN NICARAGUA.
- --HONDURAS DOES NOT WANT A WAR WITH NICARAGUA, NOR
WILL IT LEND ITS TERRITORY FOR FOREIGN FORCES TO INVADE
THAT COUNTRY.
- --IT IS NOT TRUE THAT THERE IS COOPERATION BETWEEN
THE CONTRAS AND THE HONDURAN ARMED FORCES. "WE WILL
NOT HAVE OUR FORCES FACE A SITUATION LIKE THAT."
- --THE ANTI-SANDINISTAS SHOULD BE IN THEIR OWN
COUNTRY. "THERE IS NO REASON FOR THEM TO BE IN
HONDURAS."F
- --U.S. AID DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO PASS
THROUGH HONDURAS. THE U.S. COULD WELL USE ANY AIRPORT
IN CENTRAL AMERICA OR OTHER MEANS TO HAVE SUPPLIES
DELIVERED. (DRAFTED-POL:PLANTO/TSWILKINSON) FERCH
END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
EZ3
TEXT
177NU 900.55 AZCONA APR386
NNDD
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/29: CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950011-4