"I
Am Not Here To Negotiate", Zelaya Says
On Arrival In
Costa Rica
"Not advocate the return of a democratically
elected president would be ridiculous," said
the deposed Honduran president, Manuel
Zelaya, at a press conference following his
arrival in San José, Costa Rica last night.
Zelaya is demanding his prompt
reinstatement.
Zelaya was met at the Juan Santamaría
airport by Costa Rica's foreign minister,
Bruno Stagno, his plane arriving at 5:45pm
and promptly held a press conference.
"We hope during the next 24 hours, tomorrow
that is, we have a clear response by the 'golpistas'
who broke the democratic process in the
country", said Zelaya.
The deposed president made it clear that he
is not in Costa Rica to negotiate, but to
listen to the coupists who forced him into exile,
arguing that international opinion is on his
side.
Zelaya arrived in San José from Managua
for a refueling stop. The plane was headed
to Costa Rica from Washington after meeting
on Tuesday with US Secretary of State,
Hilary Clinton.
Clinton called Costa Rican president, Oscar
Arias, to mediate the talks between Zelaya
and the Honduras de facto president, Roberto
Micheletti, who is expected to arrive this
morning.
The mediation talks are scheduled to take
place at the Arias private home in Rohrmoser.
Zelaya said that he had two specific aims in
mind for the talks in Costa Rica.
"What is going to be done is to fulfill the
resolution of the Organization of American
States (OAS) and the resolution of the
United Nations, in which they ask first and
foremost for the reinstatement of the
president of the republic," he said.
"Number two is the complete non-recognition
of the authorities by coup d'etat, and
condemnation of the coup d'etat."
The ousted leader said that the interim
government has no legitimacy, pointing to
the fact that governments across the world
have condemned the coup.
"The [interim] government is completely
disconnected from all of humanity. All the
countries - the Arab countries, the African
countries, the Asian countries, the European
countries, the countries of the Americas -
have all closed their doors to this
government," he said.
But while Zelaya has demanded that he be
swiftly reinstated as president, the interim
government has maintained a tough line
against him.
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