US to Sponsor Mediation Aimed at Resolving Honduran Political Crisis

By Nima Nayebi

Impunity Watch Reporter, North America and Europe

WASHINGTON DC, United States- Exiled President Manuel Zelaya and Honduran coup leaders have agreed to US-sponsored talks aimed at settling the country's political crisis. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Tuesday that Washington will sponsor the talks after meeting with Mr. Zelaya in Washington. Madam Clinton said her meeting with Mr. Zelaya had been productive. "I reiterated to him that the United States supports the restoration of the democratic, constitutional order in Honduras," she said, but did not state whether her goal was to restore Mr. Zelaya.

"We call upon all parties to refrain from acts of violence and to seek a peaceful, constitutional and lasting solution to the serious divisions in Honduras through dialogue," said Madam Clinton.

Mr. Zeyala, who was ousted last week and Roberto Micheletti, who heads the current interim government, have accepted negotiations sponsored by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. Mr. Arias won a Nobel Peace Prize in the 1987 for his efforts to end Central American civil wars.The three are due to meet tomorrow in Costa Rica's capital, San José.

Negotiations are likely to be difficult because Mr. Zelaya has said that his return to power is not negotiable, while Mr. Micheletti has flatly rejects this point. Mr. Arias told the BBC that his aim is to start a dialogue between the two men. "You can call it a negotiation or simply a talk, a conversation, a dialogue but I want the two parties to sit around a table and discuss the issues," he said.

US sponsorship of the talks came after Washington insisted that Mr. Zelaya is the elected president of Honduras, and President Barack Obama expressed a need for Honduras to follow "the rule of law." Expressing dissatisfaction, Enrique Ortez, the new foreign relation minister for the interim government, called Mr. Obama a "little black man who doesn't know where Tegucigalpa is located." US Ambassador Hugo Llorens wrote to Ortez: "I express my profound indignation for the unfortunate, disrespectful and racially insensitive comments made about President Barack Obama." Earlier today, Ortez offered his "most profound apologies" for "an unfortunate comment."

For more information, please see:

AP - Honduran official apologises to Obama for remark - 8 July 2009

BBC - Honduras rivals back peace moves - 8 July 2009

Telegraph UK - Ousted Honduras president and coup leaders agree to talks - 8 July 2009

AP - Honduran optimistic about finding solution - 7 July 2009

Impunity Watch - Chaos in Honduras: President Zelaya in Exile after 'Military' Coup-d'etat - 30 June 2009