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Honduran talks must be given every support

Issued : Wednesday 15 July, 2009

Michael D Higgins has called on Ireland and the international community to give every assistance through the UN, and the regional neighbours of Honduras, for a peaceful settlement in ongoing talks in Honduras following the ousting last month of the country's President and the installation of a alternative government backed by the army, a government yet to be recognised by any other country.

Deputy Higgins said: "Honduras is one of the poorest and most inequitable countries in Latin America. A 2008 UN report on poverty and social exclusion in Latin America said seven of 10 Hondurans were living in poverty, the highest poverty rate among 18 countries surveyed.

"The coup against President Zelaya has further divided and polarised an already deeply split nation as well as setting back important work in promoting equity and democracy. It is incumbent that the international community continue to offer such help it can in order to return Honduras to a level of security which it so sorely lacks.

"The talks between the two parties to the dispute which are being mediated by Costa Rica must be given every support and helped to succeed.

"In that light I echo the sentiments expressed by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, a man with no little experience in the field of conflict resolution in the area, that both sides must seek to find methods of accommodation and not to act with such intransigence so as to make any breakthrough utterly impossible- such as to draw lines in the sand at delicate stages of negotiation which would render impossible any resolution."