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Honduras holds new crisis talks Honduras holds new crisis talks
(about 6 hours later)
Senior diplomats from across the Americas have begun talks in Honduras, in the latest attempt to resolve the political crisis. Ministers and diplomats from across the Americas have urged the interim Honduran government to reinstate ousted president Manuel Zelaya.
They are hoping to set up talks between interim leader Roberto Micheletti and deposed President Manuel Zelaya, who is in the Brazilian embassy. Delegations from a dozen countries met envoys from both sides behind closed doors in the capital, Tegucigalpa.
Mr Zelaya is demanding he be reinstated to the presidency. A subsequent meeting with interim president Roberto Micheletti was broadcast live on local television.
His opponents accuse him of illegally trying to extend his rule, an accusation he denies. Mr Micheletti angrily told the visitors that they "don't know the truth or don't want to know it".
Mr Zelaya has said that he will only meet Mr Micheletti if an agreement is made beforehand which allows him to return to power. Exasperation
Mr Micheletti told the diplomats: "We have been fighting for many years for our constitution and we will keep fighting no matter what happens," according to the Associated Press news agency. Live on Honduran television, diplomats were seen trying to persuade Mr Micheletti that the only way out was for him to give up the presidential chair and let his predecessor return.
The high-powered diplomatic team includes foreign ministers and deputy foreign ministers from about 10 countries in the region, as well as Jose Insulza, chief of the Organisation of American States (OAS). class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8288114.stm">Military cordon around embassy class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8124154.stm">Q&A: Honduran crisis
Mr Micheletti was unconvinced, to the detectable exasperation of his guests, BBC Central America correspondent Stephen Gibbs says.
The interim president's position is that President Zelaya - who is currently holed up in the Brazilian embassy - was removed legally according to the Honduran constitution, and that to reverse that decision by decree would be illegal.
Mr Micheletti did say he would be happy to step down - but only if Mr Zelaya also renounced his claim to be president.
"If I am an obstacle, I will step aside, but I also demand that this gentleman (Zelaya) who has caused such damage to the nation also goes," he said.
Mr Zelaya's opponents accuse him of trying to illegally trying to extend his rule, an accusation he denies.
Mr Micheletti also said that the presidential election on 29 November would go ahead, unless "we are attacked or invaded".
For his part, Mr Zelaya insisted that he should be restored to the presidency by 15 October, or the election should be postponed.
"If the president is not reinstated by 15 October, the electoral calendar should proceed according to the law, allowing three months of campaigning to allow equal competition and people's participation," a statement from Mr Zelaya said.
The foreign ministers and ambassadors are attempting to use the deadline of November's forthcoming elections to make the interim government change its mind.
If those elections are held without Mr Zelaya in power, they say, then Honduras will probably find itself with another government which is shunned by the outside world.
Out of time
The high-powered diplomatic team includes foreign ministers and deputy foreign ministers from about a dozen countries in the region, as well as Jose Insulza, chief of the Organisation of American States (OAS).
"Those who thought it was possible to depose a president and normalise life in the country before starting an election campaign should realise that this has not been possible," Mr Insulza said as talks began."Those who thought it was possible to depose a president and normalise life in the country before starting an election campaign should realise that this has not been possible," Mr Insulza said as talks began.
The interim government is under extreme pressure to ensure that elections in Honduras, scheduled for the end of November, are seen as valid.
Canada's minister for the Americas, Peter Kent, said: "I sense that everyone involved understands that we are nearly out of time and that this crisis has to be resolved now."Canada's minister for the Americas, Peter Kent, said: "I sense that everyone involved understands that we are nearly out of time and that this crisis has to be resolved now."
Emergency decree Our correspondent says that finding a solution where both sides can claim to have won is perhaps the only way to end this crisis.
Some of the ousted president's opponents in Honduras are coming round to the idea that allowing him to serve the three remaining months of his term might be a solution, and even a victory, for them, says the BBC's Central America correspondent Stephen Gibbs.
Military cordon around embassy Q&A: Honduran crisis
They argue that the former cattle rancher would be seen as the lamest of lame duck presidents.
Mr Zelaya's supporters would view his return to power very differently, as a victory for democracy.
But, our correspondent says, finding a solution where both sides can claim to have won is perhaps the only way to end this crisis.
Earlier this week, Mr Micheletti lifted an emergency decree imposed after Mr Zelaya returned to the country.
The decree suspended some civil liberties and also shut down two media organisations loyal to the president.
They say that seized equipment has not been returned and therefore they still cannot broadcast normally.
The emergency decree was condemned internationally, and those supporting the ousted president had demanded that it be lifted before negotiations between Mr Zelaya and the interim leader could begin.
Mr Zelaya was sent into exile at the end of June after trying to hold a vote on whether a constitutional assembly should be set up to look at rewriting the constitution.Mr Zelaya was sent into exile at the end of June after trying to hold a vote on whether a constitutional assembly should be set up to look at rewriting the constitution.
His opponents said his actions were in violation of the constitution and aimed at removing the current one-term limit on presidents - a charge Mr Zelaya has denied.His opponents said his actions were in violation of the constitution and aimed at removing the current one-term limit on presidents - a charge Mr Zelaya has denied.
He returned covertly to Honduras on 21 September and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy.He returned covertly to Honduras on 21 September and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy.