Honduras settlement talks to continue Sunday

AFP, San Jose

The rival parties in the Hond
uran political conflict have agreed to continue searching for a negotiated solution Sunday, after Costa Rican President Oscar Arias proposed a detailed plan for settling the three-week-old crisis.
Arias, who is mediating the Honduras crisis talks, proposed Saturday that ousted Honduran leader Manuel Zelaya return to the country under the terms of a national reconciliation plan, but delay the move at least until next Friday.
Zelaya has accepted the delay, according to his spokeswoman.
Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, made the suggestion to representatives of the deposed leader and de facto Honduran president Roberto Micheletti at talks underway here.
He said the two side would meet again Sunday after attending mass. "We have agreed to continue deliberations tomorrow," the Costa Rican leader told reporters. "We will meet again at 11:00 am (1700 GMT)."
The seven-point proposal envisions Zelaya's return to power at the head of a government of "national reconciliation," and the declaration of a general amnesty absolving those who participated in and opposed his June 28 ouster.
Arias' proposal would also see presidential elections moved up to November, with control of the army transferred to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal a month before so military forces could "guarantee a transparent and smooth voting process."
But Micheletti has repeatedly expressed his strong opposition to Zelaya's return or the possibility of the deposed leader serving out the remainder of his term until January 27, 2010.
Arias' proposal would also require Zelaya to "expressly renounce" plans to hold consultative votes seeking to gain support for constitutional changes to terms limits.