MR. KELLY: Well, on Honduras, we, of course, are continuing to call on both sides to begin implementing the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord. One of the key parts of that is setting up a government of unity and reconciliation, and we feel that once that is set up and the other elements of the accord are implemented, that it will be easier for the international community to recognize the elections. And I think that’s the point that Tom Shannon was trying to stress in his remarks that are referred to there.
QUESTION: But doesn’t it sort of allow Micheletti to – kind of a backseat way, to still be part of the process when the U.S. has been pretty explicit that it recognizes Zelaya as the president?
MR. KELLY: We have been very explicit that we recognize the – Zelaya as the democratically elected leader of Honduras. We think that there is a good way forward that the two sides agreed to in principle, and that right now, we need to concentrate on implementing it. It establishes a solid foundation not only for a way forward with the elections on November 29, but it establishes a foundation for a reconciliation in Honduras between the two sides.
And so that’s – that is what our energies and efforts are focused on. We continue to remain in daily contact with the two sides, both through our Ambassador in Tegucigalpa, and I know that Craig Kelly is – and also in constant telephone contact with the two sides. And we just remain committed to the implementation of this accord, and we’re sticking to that.
Yeah.
QUESTION: Why do you think that Zelaya doesn’t understand this? He sent a letter to President Obama. It seems to me, or it seems that he – he’s waiting for, from the U.S. – U.S., like a message or a solution of the problem. He doesn’t understand that maybe the problem is in Honduras. How do you feel on that? Is there any sensation of the U.S. Government with this why he continues to – not to solve the problem inside instead of waiting and sending a letter to Obama?
MR. KELLY: Yeah. Well, I’m not going to try and interpret why President Zelaya sent this letter. I’ll just say that we all along have been committed to this reconciliation process, to the restoration of the democratically and constitutionally elected leadership. And we have put a lot of effort into restoring democracy to Honduras. And we condemn the June 28 coup. We supported strong UN and OAS resolutions. We implemented tough measures, including suspension of economic and military assistance. And we have been very actively and very directly involved in a negotiated solution. So, I mean, we have been committed from the very start to this process. There hasn’t been any —
QUESTION: So the U.S. —
MR. KELLY: — hasn’t been any change of policy.
QUESTION: The U.S. feels like the OAS secretary, that there is not much to do on the way forward with elections?
MR. KELLY: I’m not sure what you’re referring to.
QUESTION: The secretary of the Organization of American States, in his last speech on the extraordinary meeting of the session, he said that there is not much things that we can do until – wait for the elections.
MR. KELLY: Well, I’m not sure —
QUESTION: That was Insulza (inaudible).
MR. KELLY: Yeah. I haven’t seen those comments, but we – I mean, we are – we continue to be involved. We think there still is something to be done. But our efforts are on trying to get the two sides to do it, to try and get the Hondurans themselves to do it.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: No, no, no. Did Zelaya ever get a response to the letter he sent to the Secretary?
MR. KELLY: We have not sent a formal response back to President Zelaya.
QUESTION: So you just – so what is – well, what is he supposed to think? I mean, you guys are – you’re ignoring him now.
MR. KELLY: No, we’re not ignoring him. In fact —
QUESTION: Yeah, you are. He sent —
MR. KELLY: No, we’re not ignoring him.
QUESTION: He sent a letter to Secretary Clinton asking what the U.S. position was and you just said – and that was like, two weeks ago.
MR. KELLY: Yeah. That doesn’t mean we’re ignoring him, though.
QUESTION: And he has not gotten a response.
MR. KELLY: I mean, we do talk to him. I know that senior American officials do talk to him. Just because we haven’t sent a formal response yet doesn’t mean we’re ignoring him.
QUESTION: Well, it seems – well, you know, talk is one thing, but something put down on paper is quite another. And it just seems to me that you’re kind of still floundering around for a policy here —
MR. KELLY: Well —
QUESTION: — and you’re not willing to put anything down on paper.
MR. KELLY: I don’t agree.
QUESTION: You don’t?
MR. KELLY: I don’t agree we’re floundering. I mean, we haven’t changed our policy. We have senior officials still involved in trying to get the two sides to – not to agree, but to implement something they’ve already agreed to, all right? I think we’re very – we remain very much involved in the process.
QUESTION: Can you explain why you have not replied to a letter from someone you consider to be the democratic —
MR. KELLY: I don’t think I have to. I don’t think I have to respond, Matt. We haven’t respond —
QUESTION: Well, I guess you don’t, because your silence to him says it all.
5 Responses to "US Daily Press Briefing on Honduras"
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Mr. tfbarthelemy, I like your choice of words, for the majority of the people in Honduras does loathe Zelaya, it has been shown before and it is still being seen today.
There is only on thing that I disagree with, those people are not friends of Honduras and are not poorly informed either.
Friends do not take food away from the mouth of the hungry, like Hillary did by cutting the so needed aid money, and there is no way that they can hide behind the safety wall of ignorance, not after their on Library of Congress published its findings and declared the ousting of Zelaya as well within the interpretation of Honduran Law.
So, yes, sometimes people deserve the benefit of doubt, but not Obama & Hillary, what they deserve is criticism for their lack of care and their inability to control Llorens, who as an ambassador to Honduras should have been able to tell the truth, and he did not, and after all the damage he did, not even a slap on the wrist, what a joke, sadly, the joke is on Honduras.
But you are right about the elections, they are coming, and the Honduran will show the world that we believe in democracy, but of the true kind, where the majority rules, not a bunch of violent rioters led by an inept monkey who goes by the name Mel Zelaya.
Honduras will always be free of Communisn, lets see if we can fight corruption now.
Call Don Jose Insulza and find out what going on with his boy Melito stop the violence
It seems to this poorly informed friend of the Honduran people, that the craven opportunists at the US State Department have concluded that, with or without international recognition, Hondurans will turn out en masse Nov 29, and show their loathing of Zelaya and in support of their Constitution. So Hillary’s gang is trying to avoid getting too much egg on their faces, even as they try to avoid being fired by their Marxist boss, Obama. Stand for your principles, you Honduran heroes!
that kelly guy can not have much education , he keeps talking about ”a coup ” if there was a coup than when he comes in honduras he should be talking with generals and not with the president the congress or the former president ……..keep your nose out of the affairs of this democratic country …..you have lots of problems at home….and the next time you talk about the” democratic elected president ” be an honest person and ad that he was democraticly removed from office but hillary or obama might ..spank you …if you that….
What is this reporter trying to do?
Sounds to me as if he is trying to get people to back Zelaya, or at least to get them into a corner where they look like te bad guys if they do not.
There are so many people in the media now a days that seem to be interested more on making political policy, than how interested they are in just reporting the news, what has hapenned?
When did their job change from people that inform the public to people that tell the public what to do?
That reporter uses so many terms that make Honduras still look bad, does he really care what hapens in Honduras, or does he simply cries foul because a Leftist Dictator Wannabe was kicked out of the sandbox, and is not allowed to play under his rules any more?
Everybody that has taken the bother to read what really hapened in Honduras should be aware of at least 2 things by now:
1). Zelaya is despised by a large majority of the people of Honduras, thus making this whole thing a democratic choice automatically.
2). Honduras has the right to choose the type of Government under which it will be ruled and also the right to choose who leads that Government.
The term “Coup d’Etat” does not aply to what hapened in Honduras, and it is simply ridiculous that this reporter chooses to use that term.
It is obvious that he does not agree with Zelaya not having any more suport any more, but is also obvious that he does not care as to why that is the case.
All he seems to care about is his self impossed duty to rescue the failed efforts of a few Communists in Honduras, people that for many years have been working on a plan that will allow for them to take the reins of power.
Well, it is all very well documented, just as communist fail at everything (except at tyrany) they failed at taking over Honduras, be it for those famous Communist Brothers, the Castros and/or for that idiotic chase dreamer, Chavez.
Come on Matt, do your homework and you will find out that Honduras has been a staunch rejector of Socialist ideals for many decades, since before Castro took over in Cuba that country has been condemming the totalitarian actions of Socio/Communist states.
It is not surprising that Zelaya was out numbered in every way, at Congress when he was ousted, the amount of people that have come out to march against him have out numbered his suporters by the tens of thousands, and all of that is well documented.
You are attacking people that are trying to bring a peaceful solution to the situation and whom understand, obviously better than you, that a democracy means a place or system where the majority rules, and it has become very clear by now, in Honduras, the majority want Zelaya out of the way.