Tegucigalpa (Honduras), Oct 7 (DPA) An international delegation arrived in Honduras Wednesday for talks to resolve the political crisis in the Central American country in the wake of a June coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya.
Hopes were high for the talks led by the Organisation of American States. The OAS sent a foreign ministers mission headed by OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza that will seek to bring the parties in conflict closer to each other. The delegation was to feature the foreign ministers of Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico and Panama.

Past efforts to end the impasse led by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias have failed. Under Arias’ plan Zelaya would lead a government of national reconciliation until scheduled elections.

Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted and sent into exile June 28, secretly returned to Honduras Sep 21 and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa. The international community has refused to recognize the de facto government and has demanded Zelaya’s reinstatement. He said Tuesday he does not trust the de facto government led by Roberto Micheletti.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim will not be travelling to Tegucigalpa and the South American giant will instead be represented in the mission by its ambassador to the OAS, Ruy Casaes.

Micheletti, who was named leader under succession rules after the coup, wants Zelaya to face court charges for violating the constitution by attempting to force a referendum on changes to the constitution, against the opposition of parliament and the country’s supreme court.

The de facto government refuses Zelaya’s reinstatement ahead of the planned Nov 29 presidential election.