OAS suspends Honduras after coup; Honduras says it quits
Associated Press
07/05/09 11:30 AM EDT
WASHINGTON — The OAS on Saturday night suspended Honduras participation in the organization because of last week's military coup.
Honduras' interim government has already said it's quitting the organization rather than meet demands to reinstate the ousted president.
The decision was made during a special meeting of foreign ministers and supported by 33 out of 34 members of the Organization of American States with one abstention — Honduras.
Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza had asked the organization early Saturday to punish the de facto government by suspending the country from the organization. Minutes before Insulza's report to foreign ministers, ousted Honduran president Zelaya said he's optimistic and is still planning to return to his country Sunday, a week after he was overthrown by a military coup.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The OAS secretary general says his efforts to return Manuel Zelaya to the presidency in Honduras have failed.
Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza asked the organization Saturday to punish the de facto government by suspending the country from the organization. Minutes before Insulza's report to a special meeting of foreign ministers, ousted Honduran president Zelaya said he's optimistic and is still planning to return Sunday to his country a week after he was overthrown by a military coup.
But even before Saturday's emergency session, Honduras' interim government decided to pull out of the OAS rather than meet demands to reinstate Zelaya. OAS officials say they haven't received formal notification of that move.
The OAS called on the Honduran government Tuesday to reinstate Zelaya in three days or face an OAS suspension.
Honduras' interim president was presented with the OAS resolution on Friday and said "the OAS is a political organization, not a court."
"It is very clear that in the de facto government, there is no willingness to change its conduct," Insulza said.
He said the Supreme Court version of events aims to show a pattern of illegalities in the behavior of Zelaya.
