Ian Kelly
Spokesman
Daily Press Briefing
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
July 8, 2009
INDEX:
HONDURAS | |
| Costa Rica President Arias as Mediator / Discussion with Regional Partners / President Zelaya and De Facto Head Micheletti to Attend Meeting / Hope for a Peaceful Resolution | |
TRANSCRIPT:
QUESTION: Can we go to Honduras, please?
MR. KELLY: Honduras.
QUESTION: During the Valenzuela hearing today, some senators were questioning whether the U.S. was a little bit ahead of the process in Honduras on the change of power, that with more information coming to light, maybe it’s legit. Any change in position here from this podium?
MR. KELLY: Well, I think you heard the Secretary yesterday. We’re very encouraged by the fact that President Arias of Costa Rica has agreed to act as a mediator. We were glad to play a role in that. This decision emerged from discussions that we’ve had with a number of partners in the OAS, and we think it’s appropriate, of course, for President Arias to serve in this role. He is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Costa Rica now holds the six-month rotating presidency of SICA, the Central American Integration System. I think you probably have seen reports that the first meeting will take place tomorrow in Costa Rica. President Zelaya and the head of the de facto regime, Roberto Micheletti, have both stated they’ll attend. And we hope through this mechanism there’ll be a peaceful resolution of this conflict.
QUESTION: On the timing and the tone, however, does the U.S., in retrospect, wish it was more circumspect and waited for more developments, or any sense that --
MR. KELLY: No, I – we are – as I say, we are very encouraged by this development that we now have a dialogue in place that has a real promise of resolving this through dialogue between the conflicting parties.
MR. KELLY: Honduras.
QUESTION: During the Valenzuela hearing today, some senators were questioning whether the U.S. was a little bit ahead of the process in Honduras on the change of power, that with more information coming to light, maybe it’s legit. Any change in position here from this podium?
MR. KELLY: Well, I think you heard the Secretary yesterday. We’re very encouraged by the fact that President Arias of Costa Rica has agreed to act as a mediator. We were glad to play a role in that. This decision emerged from discussions that we’ve had with a number of partners in the OAS, and we think it’s appropriate, of course, for President Arias to serve in this role. He is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Costa Rica now holds the six-month rotating presidency of SICA, the Central American Integration System. I think you probably have seen reports that the first meeting will take place tomorrow in Costa Rica. President Zelaya and the head of the de facto regime, Roberto Micheletti, have both stated they’ll attend. And we hope through this mechanism there’ll be a peaceful resolution of this conflict.
QUESTION: On the timing and the tone, however, does the U.S., in retrospect, wish it was more circumspect and waited for more developments, or any sense that --
MR. KELLY: No, I – we are – as I say, we are very encouraged by this development that we now have a dialogue in place that has a real promise of resolving this through dialogue between the conflicting parties.
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