Tegucigalpa: Honduras' interim leader offered to resign and back exiled president Manuel Zelaya's return home, provided the ousted leader gives up his claim to the presidency, according to a plan made public on Thursday.
The offer appears to contain little new, other than an implicit offer by interim President Roberto Micheletti to back a limited amnesty for Zelaya, who was charged with several counts after he was ousted and flown into exile by soldiers in a June 28 coup.
Arturo Corrales, a negotiator for Micheletti, said Congress would still have to approve the amnesty, but he stressed that allowing Zelaya to return — listed as point number four in the five-point offer — was new.
"There is a point which is new, that is point number four, which had not been mentioned before," Corrales said.
Zelaya — as well as the international community — has insisted his ouster was illegal and that he must be restored to office to fill out the remainder of his term, which ends in January.
Micheletti has offered to resign before, passing the presidency to a third party to be determined by the Constitution. That would apparently be Supreme Court President Jorge Rivera, whose court issued an arrest warrant for Zelaya at the time of the coup.
Corrales said Micheletti presented the plan to a delegation of foreign ministers from the Organisation of American States in Tegucigalpa on Tuesday.
"They didn't say anything at that time," Corrales said of the ministers, who were accompanied by OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza.
Corrales added, "I have information ... that Mr Insulza sees little possibility it (the offer) will be accepted."
Congress would still have to approve the amnesty, but a copy of the proposal said Micheletti "will support the Congress' decision to enact a law granting political amnesty not involving common crimes."
Zelaya has been charged with falsification of public records, fraud and abuse of authority related to the alleged misappropriation of USD 2 million in government funds to pay for ads by Zelaya's administration in January.
Such charges would apparently not be covered in the amnesty, unlike charges of treason, usurping the powers of other branches of government, abuse of authority and trying to undermine Honduras' system of government, which Zelaya also faces.
The plan also offers to invite "international observers, such as OAS, the Carter Center, and the European Union to monitor the (November 29) Presidential Elections to ensure full transparency and participation."
The election to select Zelaya's successor was scheduled before the coup.
The offer comes as the United States, Honduras' largest investor and trading partner, weighs possible tougher measures to ensure Zelaya's reinstatement.
Zelaya was ousted as he pressed for a referendum on changing the constitution that was opposed by Honduras' top court, Congress and military.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, August 28, 2009, 12:53