Arias To Propose "Reconciliation Government"
in Honduras
Costa Rican president Oscar Arias said
Thursday he will propose forming a
"reconciliation government" in Honduras led
by ousted President Manuel Zelaya as a
solution to the political crisis in that
country.
Arias condemned the June 28 coup against
Zelaya in a statement on Radio Monumental.
He said "the conflict could not be resolved
without Zelaya's reinstatement".
"I'll propose a government of national
reconciliation that includes major
ministries, and if it is possible, we will
discuss the amnesty for political crimes,"
said Arias. "But Zelaya will have to abandon
his scheme of having a 'fourth ballot box'
(to seek constitutional amendments) in the
coming elections.
"There have been talks about advancing the
election. For me it is not necessary because
the election must be held in January 2010,
according to the constitution," Arias added.
He also said that it is not an effective
solution if post-coup leader Roberto
Micheletti resigns to give power to someone
else, because the restoration of the
constitutional order has to be done with
Zelaya's return to power.
Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has
been mediating the negotiations between
representatives of Zelaya and Micheletti to
resolve the crisis.
Arias will meet representatives of both
sides for the second time at his private
home in Rohrmoser, San Jose.
Although both the Zelaya and Micheletti
delegations confirmed their attendance at
the negotiations, it is not clear it
president Zelaya, who is currently in
Nicaragua, will appear personally to meet
with Arias.
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