HONDURAS

Talks will resume soon

07-14-2009 | REUTERS

Panama Star TEGUCIGALPA. Roberto Micheletti, who took over as president in Honduras after a coup there, said on Monday he had been told the Costa Rican mediator in the country's political crisis would ask the two sides to resume talks on Saturday.

The talks began last week but have made scant progress so far, with ousted President Manuel Zelaya insisting on his reinstatement after the June 28 coup and Micheletti adamant that he cannot return to power under any circumstances.

“Unofficially, we've been told that we'll be invited to Costa Rica on Saturday by President Oscar Arias to continue the talks," Micheletti, installed by Honduras' Congress after the coup, told reporters.

Micheletti made the statement after swearing in his lead negotiator, Carlos Lopez, as new interim foreign minister. Lopez said he would continue to head the caretaker government's delegation at the talks.

No foreign government has recognized Micheletti as president and the United States as well as the Organization of American States have called for Zelaya to be restored to office after the coup in the impoverished Central American country.

Micheletti on Sunday held out the possibility of the use of amnesty for Zelaya if he returns temporarily to Honduras quietly and faces justice. But he also said Zelaya would not be allowed to return to power "under any conditions," arguing he had contravened the constitution by seeking to illegally extend his rule in the country through the lifting of presidential term limits.