Costa Rica’s Arias To Continue Efforts For Peace In Honduras
September 16th, 2009 | by admin |Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, has not given up on a peace plan for Honduras. As the chief mediator in the Honduran political crisis, Arias, said on Monday that he will meet with the Honduras presidential candidates to emphasize that the upcoming elections will not be recognized if held under the government of Roberto Micheletti.
Arias is expected to meet on Wednesday at least four of the six candidates to the November elections in Honduras, in an effort to gain their support for restoring ousted president, Manual Zeleya.
Arias has been the leading negotiator for the US backed efforts to restore Zelaya.
Brazil earlier this week made it clear that it will not recognize any government other than that of Zelaya. Arias is expected to emphasize that the international community will not recognize any government formed before a Zelaya restitution.
As part of Aria’s multi point peace plan outlined during the last rounds of negotiations between Zelaya and Micheletti supporters was a new election in Honduras, but only after Zelaya is restored to power and with the promise that Zelaya would not run for another term.
Arias, a Nobel Peace prize winner, has been frustrated in his efforts to bring the two sides to a conclusion of a crisis that is now almost 3 months old.
“The ides is to speak with the frankly”, said Arias, explaining that there is no use for an elections when any government formed would not be recognized.
Arias is known for his insistence and is expected to keep pounding on the doorsteps of the Micheletti government to back down and restore Honduras’ rightful and elected president, who as ousted by military force on June 28.
Coup d’etat leader and interim president, Roberto Micheletti, has rejected the Arias plan despite mounting international support.
Micheletti, who refused to meet Zelaya face-to-face at the private of home of Arias in July, is staunch in his refusal to allow Zelaya’s return, not only to power, but to Honduras, in a dispute over the ouster leader’s efforts to change the constitution of Honduras.
Both the United States and many Latin American countries have joined Brazil in warning of their unwillingness to recognized the results of the November elections unless Zelaya is back in office.
Last week, Washington increased the pressure by revoking the U.S. visas of Micheletti and 17 other Honduran officials
On Monday, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico refused to accept the participation of the Honduran ambassador at a meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva because he is not from Zelaya’s government.
Belgium Ambassador Alex Van Meeuwen, who presides at the U.N. rights council, said he would seek to clarify whether Urbizo is allowed to represent Honduras in the council. Council spokesman Rolando Gomez said that “no decision has been taken.”
Micheletti insists the November presidential election, which had been scheduled before the coup, will show the world that democracy remains intact in Honduras.
