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COSTA RICA |
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Honduran President-Elect Lobo Meets With
Arias In Costa Rica
The president-elect of Honduras, Porfirio
Lobo, met Tuesday in San José with
Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, and
Panama's president, Ricardo Martinelli, both
of whom have recognized his victory in last
month's elections.
Lobo told reporters that there should be
amnesty for all those involved in the June
28 coup d'etat and that the amnesty would
end the five month crisis and allow Manuel
Zelaya to leave the Brazilian embassy in
Tegugicalpa, where he has taken refuge since
returning to Honduras on the sly in
September.
Zelaya was ousted on June 28 when he was
taken to San José by the Honduran military.
De facto leader Roberto Martinelli took the
helm in Honduras and defied pressure to
reinstate Zelaya.
The United States and Brazil have been
pushing for Zelaya's return to office but
his fate remains uncertain after the
Honduran Congress voted last week not to
allow him to finish his term that ends in
January.
Zelaya continues at the Brazilian embassy,
saying he will stay there as long as his
hosts let him, while soldiers maintain a
ring around the embassy.
Following the two hour meeting, Arias and
Martinelli promised Lobo that they will do
what is necessary to get the international
community to recognize Lobo as Honduras'
president come January 27, 2010.
Arias and Martinelli have met several times
following Panama's elections asked Lobo to
commit himself to a series of conditions
that would be necessary for his recognition
by the international community that include
the resignation of Roberto Micheletti and
that Zelaya be reinstated before Lobo is
sworn in to office.
"The Honduran people cannot be punished any
longer. I don't want to see Honduras become
the Albania of Central America, isolated
from the rest of the world", said Arias to
the press from his home in Rohrmoser.
Arias added that neither he or Martinelli
will be travelling to other countries to
gather support for Lobo, but would use
technology to that end.
Arias also confirmed that he got a call
today from US State Secretary Hilary Clinton
and the need to have Lobo recognized.
Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli (L),
Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias (C) and
Honduras' President-elect Porfirio Lobo pose
for a photograph after a meeting in San Jose
December 8, 2009. Arias and Martinelli said
they recognized the results of last month's
presidential elections in Honduras.
REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate (COSTA RICA
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