PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT OF HONDURAS

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT OF HONDURAS

The world faced huge challenges, including how to ensure freedom and democracy, and how to deal with the benefits and inequities created by globalization, the President of Honduras, Carlos Roberto Flores, said today at a Headquarters press conference. He told correspondents the primary aim should not be growth, development or even globalization, but rather the happiness and well-being of people everywhere.

Responding to a question about measures to curtail the influence of the Honduran armed forces, President Flores said that as part of its effort to strengthen civil institutions, Honduras had separated the police and the armed forces and placed them under civilian control. The police force was now part of the Ministry for Public Security. A constitutional reform bill, which had received the support of all parties, placed the armed forces under the control of the Minister of Defence, an elected official appointed by the President. Such changes were a culmination of the effort to strengthen civil institutions.

A correspondent asked about the impact of recent discontent among the armed forces in the country. President Flores said there had been no impact. A certain amount of discontent and uncertainty were natural when institutions changed. Fortunately, there was a complete consensus in Honduras, even among the armed forces, about the need for change to strengthen the country's institutions and the democratic process. The planned changes were based on a presidential decision and would be carried out under the direction of the Minister of Defence. He said he would meet with officials from the armed forces to inform them fully of all the changes.

In response to a question about plans for working with other countries in Central America, including Nicaragua, President Flores said that his Government had worked with presidents in the region. Currently, he was acting President of the Central American Integration System, a forum which allowed for solidarity when approaching the United States Government.

Central American countries had experienced a great deal of violence and confrontation, but democracy had triumphed, he continued. Although Honduras did not experience the same level of polarization or violence as other countries in the region, it suffered the effects. For example, it had been host to more than 350,000 refugees, and many Hondurans had been displaced from border areas. In the United States, immigration laws had been changed to accommodate Nicaraguan, Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees, but not Hondurans. His Government was negotiating for equitable treatment for all Central Americans and had raised the problem with the President of the United States. Honduras wanted just treatment for its people, considering the huge sacrifices they had made for democracy and political stability in the region, with benefits for the whole continent.

Honduran Press Conference - 2 - 24 September 1998

Asked to comment on the effects of political globalization, President Flores said integration did not have to follow pre-set patterns. Integration could move forward decisively without leaving any country behind and still take account of different situations in various countries. It was illogical for Central American countries to work in an isolated fashion when they could merge their efforts on various fronts. A unified market allowed cooperation with other countries and economic blocs such as the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). There was already an acting President of the Central American Education system. Integration could also move forward on trade and other areas.

A correspondent asked how Hondurans living abroad could vote in Hondura's presidential elections and whether there were any plans to allow for dual citizenship. President Flores said negotiations on the reform of the country's electoral laws included discussions on voting abroad, perhaps at local consulates. The constitution dealt with nationality and dual citizenship. Currently, the Government's priority was to ensure that Hondurans who had left during the region's various civil wars should have the same rights as other Central Americans.

Responding to a question on plans for regional integration, President Flores said the Central America Presidents met informally and at various forums. Nicaragua and Costa Rica had signed a free trade agreement with Mexico, and the other countries of the region would conclude a similar agreement with Mexico this year. The Central American countries had joint positions with other countries in South America, and also with other forums, such as in Portugal where the Hispano-American summit was taking place.

A framework had been established for a free trade agreement with the Dominican Republic, which would be a bridge to the Caribbean, he said. There were many similarities between the Central American and Caribbean regions, and they could be considered one zone. For example, the Caribbean Basin Initiative could be applied to both regions.

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