Diplomats leave Honduras with crisis unresolved

Diplomats pushed the two sides of the Honduran political conflict into direct talks for the first time in nearly three months, but left the country with no commitment from the coup-installed government to reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

Members of the delegation sponsored by the Organisation of American States characterised the result of their one-day visit – the establishment of a “table of dialogue” and an agenda for the talks – as a positive step even though the rivals appeared as far apart as ever.

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno said representatives of Mr Zelaya and the government of interim President Roberto Micheletti agreed to discuss the main international proposal for resolving the crisis and will have “logistical” support from OAS staff left behind.

Any resolution, however, will be in their hands.

“This is going to be an exclusively Honduran dialogue,” Mr Stagno told reporters as the delegation headed to the airport. “This is a divided family and they have to reconcile.”

The depth of that division was clear as Mr Stagno spoke: About 200 pro-Zelaya supporters massed boisterously at the front door of the hotel where the direct talks are held, calling for the ousted leader’s return. Dozens of police, some in riot gear with tear gas at the ready, blocked them from entering the building and they left after about an hour.

“The truth is they don’t want a solution,” 50-year-old protester Maritza Burgos said of the interim government.

“They want to be in power, stay in power and keep President Manuel Zelaya, the only Honduran president, from getting back in office.”