Honduran rivals make timid start to leadership talks

The two rivals for power in Honduras have begun talks in Costa Rica but there was no face-to-face meeting or breakthrough in the crisis, which was sparked by last month’s coup.

Ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya met with Costa Rican president Oscar Arias who is mediating in the negotiations.

Zelaya is pushing for a return to office as the country’s democratically elected leader.

However, the man who replaced him, Roberto Micheletti, appears to be in no rush to give up power despite international pressure and repeated calls from Zelaya to step aside.

Micheletti also met Arias separately, but has now left Costa Rica, leaving a delegation behind.

Meanwhile, protests continued in Honduras on Thursday, with thousands of Zelaya’s supporters demanding his reinstatement.

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tags: Coup, Diplomacy, Honduras