Israeli defense minister ends visit to Honduras

Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon and Honduran Army chief Gustavo Alvarez appear to have laid the groundwork for closer military cooperation between Israel and Honduras, a key country in volatile Central America.

General Sharon and senior defense officials were in Honduras for the first visit here of an Israeli Cabinet minister. Honduran and Israeli officials declined to give details on General Sharon's talks. But as one Honduran officer remarked: ''Here you have the defense minister of Israel spending at least eight hours with our armed forces chief. You think they discussed tractors?'