Agreement Reached in Honduras: Zelaya Returns to Power

While Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was traveling in Pakistan late Thursday, after months of political paralysis, ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and de facto Honduran leader Roberto Micheletti reached an agreement to resolve the months-long standoff over who should lead the country.

To Micheletti's agreement Zelaya, who was forced from office in June, would be reinstated before the elections that are scheduled for Nov 29. It remained unclear whether Zelaya would exercise full presidential powers under the agreement. Secretary Clinton said the scope of his authority would be determined by the Honduran Congress.

"I cannot think of another example of a country in Latin America that, having suffered a rupture of its democratic and constitutional order, overcame such a crisis through negotiation and dialogue," Clinton said.

Zelaya, who as been staying at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, said the agreement "signifies my return to power in the coming days, and peace for Honduras."

Secretarty Clinton assured that the U.S. will work with Honduras to make certain that the upcoming election is legitimate. She dispatched Assistant Secretary Tom Shannon and Dan Restrepo, National Security Council's representative for the Western Hemisphere, to Tegucigalpa this week to finalize the accord, after it became clear to her from telephone conversations with Zelaya and Micheletti that a deal was finally possible.

She also praised the OAS and Costa Rican President Oscar Arias for facilitating the talks.

Below is Secretary Clinton's remarks from this morning, October 30th, in Islamabad, Pakistan:

I'm very pleased to announce that we've had a breakthrough in negotiations in Honduras.

I want to congratulate the people of Honduras as well as President Zelaya and Mr. Micheletti for reaching an historic agreement. I also congratulate Costa Rican President Oscar Arias for the important role he has played in fashioning the San Jose process and the OAS for its role in facilitating the successful round of talks.

As you know, I sent Assistant Secretary Tom Shannon and his deputy Craig Kelly and the White House NSC representative for the Western Hemisphere Dan Ristreppo to Honduras yesterday after speaking with both President Zelaya and Mr. Micheletti last Friday to urge them finally, once and for all to reach an agreement.

I cannot think of another example of a country in Latin America that having suffered a rupture of its democratic and constitutional order overcame such a crisis through negotiation and dialogue.

This is a big step forward for the Inter-American system and its commitment to democracy as embodied in the Inter-American Democratic Charter. I'm very proud that I was part of the process, that the United States was instrumental in the process. But I'm mostly proud of the people of Honduras who have worked very hard to have this matter resolved peacefully.

We're looking forward to the elections that will be held on November 29, and working with the people and government of Honduras to realize the full return of democracy and a better future for the Honduran people.