Costa Rica: Honduras vote must be backed if fair

Associated Press
By ALEXANDRA OLSON,

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Costa Rica promised Friday to restore ties with Honduras if its presidential elections are clean, joining other nations in rejecting ousted President Manuel Zelaya's insistence that recognizing the vote would legitimize a June coup.

The front-runner in Sunday's elections, Porfirio Lobo, welcomed the decision by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, saying in an interview with The Associated Press that he expected other Latin American countries gradually to follow suit.

"Some who are saying today they won't recognize the vote have told me they will recognize the elections," he said.

Lobo also promised that if he wins, he would include Zelaya in a national reconciliation talks and suggested that the ousted leader would be able to leave his refuge inside the Brazilian Embassy without fear of arrest. Zelaya has been holed up there since sneaking back into the country in September.

"They have to get him out. If not, how?" said Lobo, who declined to answer whether he would grant Zelaya a pardon on abuse of power and other charges.

"What I know is that if we want peace for Honduras, we have to bring him into the dialogue," he said. Read Entire Article