Brussels, 24/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - A recent conference organised by three Latin American and European civil society groups (CIFCA, ALOP and APRODEV) has revealed clashes between the main political parties at the European Parliament over how to react to the political situation in Honduras, three months after Porfirio Lobo Soza came to power following presidential elections that the international community refuses to recognise.
Speaking on behalf of the Greens/EFA, Raúl Romeva i Rueda of Spain said he had huge misgivings about the resumption of talks this week between the EU and Central American countries to thrash out an association agreement. Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL, Portugal) said the EU could not agree to any resumption of normal relations with Honduras because the presidential elections had flouted the San Jose Agreements that include a return to power of the ousted president, Manuel Zelaya, and the forming of a government of national unity.
Santiago Fisas Ayxela (EPP, Spain) said the elections in Honduras had been open and perfectly democratic, the military and Micheletti were no longer in power and a government of national unity was already in place. María Muñiz de Urquiza (S&D, Spain) said that the elections in Honduras reflected a change in the situation on the ground that should be matched by a change in the EU's behaviour, welcoming Honduras back into the fold of regional talks and restoring normal relations. She said that resuming the talks over an Association Agreement could be used as a way of keeping an eye on the Honduran government's track record on democracy and human rights. Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, Germano Straniero-Sergio said that the resumption of talks between the EU and Central America was due to the other Central American countries accepting Honduras round the negotiating table.
If one believed the Spanish EPP and S&D MEPs, then the destiny of the EU-Central American association agreement is not in danger, commented Gianni Vattimo (ALDE, Italy) wryly, accusing the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU of “realpolitik” in order to ensure a good outcome at the EU-Latin American summit in Madrid in May 2010 at any price. He said he himself would never vote for the agreement (ALDE is divided on the issue). An advisor to the Greens/EFA commented that if there were a committee vote today at the EP, then it was far from clear in which direction it would go because of the disagreements within the S&D and ALDE. (M.B./transl.fl)