The US Embassy in Honduras has confirmed that Arturo Valenzuela will arrive in Honduras today to attend Porfirio Lobo Sosa's inauguration tomorrow, La Tribuna reported today. Also attending will be José Fernandez, and Craig Kelly. Fernandez is the State Department's Assitant Secretary for Economics, Energy, and Business Affairs. Hugo Llorens, US Ambassador to Honduras, noted that Fernandez's presence "is an important message about the reestablishment of US-Honduras relations with respect to business, financial, development, and investment."
Later this afternoon, the Valenzuela and the US delegation, along with a Canadian delegation, will meet with Manuel Zelaya Rosales in the Brazillian Embassy to finalize Zelaya's plans for exit from the Brazillian Embassy tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Craig Kelly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Craig Kelly. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Lopez Contreras: US Will Resume Aid
The Foreign Minister of the de facto government, Carlos Lopez Contreras, who yesterday assured us that the conversation between Craig Kelly and Roberto Micheletti did not touch on Micheletti resigning, today assures us that Kelly told Micheletti that US aid to Honduras would resume with the inauguration of Lobo Sosa, unconditionally. This contradicts the public statements of Lobo Sosa, who said that Kelly wanted Micheletti to resign by January 15 to facilitate the formation of a government of reconciliation, a requirement of the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord. Lopez Contreras said Micheletti's resignation was not discussed, and that the purpose of the meeting was for Kelly to tell Micheletti that the US would accept the results of the November election and resume aid to Honduras after Lobo Sosa's inauguration. Kelly left Honduras yesterday without making any public statements about his mission, or its results.
Today the US Embassy in Honduras put out a press release which reads in part:
"Mr. Kelly congratulated "Pepe" Lobo for his election and expressed the will of the United States to work with the new government of President Lobo to help confront the challenges once the Accord has been implemented....Mr. Kelly observed that the punctual implementation of the pending elements of the Accord are the best way to restore the position of Honduras with the international community."
Today the US Embassy in Honduras put out a press release which reads in part:
"Mr. Kelly congratulated "Pepe" Lobo for his election and expressed the will of the United States to work with the new government of President Lobo to help confront the challenges once the Accord has been implemented....Mr. Kelly observed that the punctual implementation of the pending elements of the Accord are the best way to restore the position of Honduras with the international community."
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Micheletti Will Not Resign
Roberto Micheletti announced this morning that he will not resign by January 15 as Craig Kelly came to request. Despite the lure of a promise of millions of dollars in aid and restoration of his US visa, La Prensa reports Micheletti declined. He did concede he will not attend Porfirio Lobo Sosa's investiture, and will stay home and watch it on television.
Traveling so only short reports today.
Traveling so only short reports today.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Craig Kelly in Tegucigalpa
Tiempo reports that Craig Kelly arrived in Tegucigalpa at mid-day to meet at 4 pm with US Ambassador Hugo Llorens and Manuel Zelaya. According to the press, he will also meet with Roberto Micheletti at 10 am tomorrow morning. The Honduran online newspaper, Proceso Digital, reports that Kelly will also meet with Porfirio Lobo Sosa today. This is Kelly's fourth visit to Tegucigalpa since the coup.
Update 1:30 pm PDT: Phillip Crowley announced this afternoon that Kelly's visit is because the US is "weighing" its decisions about future relations with Honduras. Kelly's mission is to facilitate the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord compliance. Crowley told the press that Kelly was sent to "communicate clearly to the diverse sectors that there are still things to be done." Crowley indicated that the US needs to make some decisions about the nature of its relations with Honduras and future assistance. No statement on the State Department website yet.
Update 1:30 pm PDT: Phillip Crowley announced this afternoon that Kelly's visit is because the US is "weighing" its decisions about future relations with Honduras. Kelly's mission is to facilitate the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord compliance. Crowley told the press that Kelly was sent to "communicate clearly to the diverse sectors that there are still things to be done." Crowley indicated that the US needs to make some decisions about the nature of its relations with Honduras and future assistance. No statement on the State Department website yet.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Craig Kelly Repeats US Support For Election
Craig Kelly read a prepared statement in Honduras this morning after meeting yesterday with Micheletti and Zelaya yesterday, which is quoted extensively in an ADN.es news story. No English language coverage so far. In it he again repeated the US support for the elections in Honduras as part of the solution to the political problems.
"An important part of the solution for peace in the future is the Honduran elections."
Kelly repeated the US mantra about avoiding violence. "In preparation for the elections its very important that the authorities respect human rights; at the same time, its important that everyone avoid provocations, calls to violence, because the country needs tranquility, an environment of peace, to move towards this important date."
"No one has the right to take away from the Honduran people their right to vote, elect their leaders; this is an important part of democracy and I've noted the enthusiasm in the country, to be moving towards the elections of November 29."
Kelly modestly suggested that his visit, the third since October, served to assemble ("instrumentar" alternate definition, legalize) the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord. He emphasized that "an important part for the United States, implementing the Accord, is the principal of the restoration of constitutional democracy as a successor to the coup which happened on June 28." But he is fine with Congress waiting until after the elections to consider the issue of "restoring constitutional democracy" as he calls it.
Kelly did not take questions, and there was no indication if he was returning to the US, or remaining in Honduras for further conversations.
Rumors published in El Heraldo yesterday and today, which might well be part of the propaganda of the golpistas, is that Kelly is pushing Zelaya to accept a third party as President, and negotiating with Micheletti and Zelaya who would designate this third party. Since the source of the information is Rafael Pineda Ponce, a source of deliberate misinformation in the past, I would take the rumor with a large grain of salt.
Update 5:30 pm PDT: Kelly has reportedly left Honduras. He left at mid day, La Tribuna reports, to return to Washington, DC.
"An important part of the solution for peace in the future is the Honduran elections."
Kelly repeated the US mantra about avoiding violence. "In preparation for the elections its very important that the authorities respect human rights; at the same time, its important that everyone avoid provocations, calls to violence, because the country needs tranquility, an environment of peace, to move towards this important date."
"No one has the right to take away from the Honduran people their right to vote, elect their leaders; this is an important part of democracy and I've noted the enthusiasm in the country, to be moving towards the elections of November 29."
Kelly modestly suggested that his visit, the third since October, served to assemble ("instrumentar" alternate definition, legalize) the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord. He emphasized that "an important part for the United States, implementing the Accord, is the principal of the restoration of constitutional democracy as a successor to the coup which happened on June 28." But he is fine with Congress waiting until after the elections to consider the issue of "restoring constitutional democracy" as he calls it.
Kelly did not take questions, and there was no indication if he was returning to the US, or remaining in Honduras for further conversations.
Rumors published in El Heraldo yesterday and today, which might well be part of the propaganda of the golpistas, is that Kelly is pushing Zelaya to accept a third party as President, and negotiating with Micheletti and Zelaya who would designate this third party. Since the source of the information is Rafael Pineda Ponce, a source of deliberate misinformation in the past, I would take the rumor with a large grain of salt.
Update 5:30 pm PDT: Kelly has reportedly left Honduras. He left at mid day, La Tribuna reports, to return to Washington, DC.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Craig Kelly Back To Honduras
El Heraldo reports, in its Minute by Minute column, that Craig Kelly is back on his way to Honduras again today to "reanimate" the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord. Nothing on the State Department website. Press reports are currently confined to a single Venezuelan source.
Update 2:00 PM PDT: Kelly will meet with Zelaya today in the Brazilian Embassy, the Spanish website, ADN.es reports. The US Embassy in Honduras confirmed Kelly arrived this morning but would not confirm his schedule. Honduran sources could not confirm if Kelly would meet with Micheletti.
Radio Globo says Kelly will meet with Zelaya at 6 pm.
Update 2:00 PM PDT: Kelly will meet with Zelaya today in the Brazilian Embassy, the Spanish website, ADN.es reports. The US Embassy in Honduras confirmed Kelly arrived this morning but would not confirm his schedule. Honduran sources could not confirm if Kelly would meet with Micheletti.
Radio Globo says Kelly will meet with Zelaya at 6 pm.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Craig Kelly Leaves Honduras
Craig Kelly left Honduras this morning having failed in his mission to get the two parties in Honduras to re-take-up the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord. His "2 day visit" lasted less than 24 hours. His only accomplishment was to provide a photo-op for Roberto Micheletti.
"We advanced the dialogue, we think it is very important to continue forward with the conversations," said Kelly before getting on the plane.
"We advanced the dialogue, we think it is very important to continue forward with the conversations," said Kelly before getting on the plane.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Kelly: Proposed Way Forward
Radio Globo reported this evening that Craig Kelly and Ambassador Hugo Llorens met with Manuel Zelaya and two representatives of Brazil in the Brazilian embassy this evening and presented him with a proposal for a way forward that involved Roberto Micheletti Bain resigning as president, conforming a national government of unity and reconciliation headed by the current Minister of Government (Oscar Matute) until Congress votes on the restitution of Zelaya.
This is not an entirely new proposal. The very same proposal was denounced on Friday according to Radio America. This evening, Zelaya, in an interview on Radio Globo again rejected any further participation in dialogue with Roberto Micheletti.
This is not an entirely new proposal. The very same proposal was denounced on Friday according to Radio America. This evening, Zelaya, in an interview on Radio Globo again rejected any further participation in dialogue with Roberto Micheletti.
"Craig Kelly Will Resolve All"
The US State Department has sent Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemispheric Affairs, Craig Kelly, "who will settle the problems that have presented themselves in the conversations which seek to bring peace to the country," informs René Zepeda, press spokesperson for the de facto government. He will be in the country two days (today and Wednesday) to talk with Zelaya and Micheletti. Nothing about the visit on the State Department website so far.
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