Honduras crisis talks start, shadowed by ultimatum

[Joanne98]

Source: AP


SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — A crucial round of talks to resolve the leadership crisis in Honduras began Saturday following an ultimatum from ousted President Manuel Zelaya that appeared to leave little room for compromise.

Delegates of both sides arrived at the home of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, who is mediating the U.S.-backed negotiations.

"The international community has given their unanimous support to this mediation hoping that the Honduran conflict can be solved through diplomatic means and the paths of peace," Arias said.

But Zelaya, who was forced into exile in a June 28 military coup, gave negotiators just until midnight to restore him to office, threatening to return to Honduras and attempt to retake power on his own if no agreement is reached. He indicated he would reject any power-sharing agreement, a proposal to be discussed at the talks.

"If at that time, there is no resolution to that end, I will consider the negotiations in Costa Rica a failure," Zelaya said at a news conference Friday night at the Honduran embassy in Nicaragua. "I am going back to Honduras, but I am not going to give you the date, hour or place, or say if I'm going to enter through land, air or sea."

He did not say what steps he would take once on Honduran soil. But earlier this week, he said Hondurans have a constitutional right to rebel against an illegitimate government.


Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jAkMGKIUDg_ngUiZboxQbYj5_DPwD99H0F380

[Odin2005]

1. The coupsters have no right to any say what-so-ever

except some haggling over the length of their jail terms.

[AlphaCentauri]

2. agree n/t

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Ahhh their Supreme Court ordered him out of office and arrested

His own majority party voted in the successor. Its not quite as binary as some would think

[EFerrari]

7. If the Court was involved in the kidnapping, what they did was illegal.

And there is no provision for his party to vote in a "successor'. That's illegal, too.

Why are you defending this thuggery?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. What I am saying is that there is more to this than a simple military coup

as some would portray. See the following LAT Op-Ed piece for an alternative view: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-estrada10-2009jul10,0,4262300.story

There is a lot of spin and crap on both sides here...just reserving judgment, not that it matters

[EFerrari]

10. Right wing nutcase Miguel Estrada? Really?

What happened in Honduras is plain as day. The oligarchy got the military to take out the elected president who was actually functioning as a democratically elected president and not as their puppet.

And, btw, all coups come with a rationale that folds as soon as you tap it with a feather.

ETA: I assume you know Estrada was forced to withdraw in disgrace from his judicial nomination by GWB.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. Indeed, but there are other sources with a similar timeline of events

Seems to be dirty hands on both sides.

[EFerrari]

12. There is no legal justification for kidnapping a sitting president. n/t

[Odin2005]

9. YAWN, I fell for that Fascist BS when the story first broke, ain't being a sucker again.

[formercia]

3. I bet the volunteers from other countries will be lining-up.

Zelaya won't have any shortage of manpower.

[Downwinder]

4. If I had transport

[EFerrari]

6. On the El Salvador side of the border, union workers are helping

their neighbors block traffic in and out of Honduras, right now.

[Wednesdays]

13. K&R

:kick:

[excess_3]

14. how would Mr Z govern from jail?

as the Supreme Court has issued a warrant for his arrest