Brussels, 01/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 1 July, the national experts with responsibility for Latin American issues at the Council of the EU decided to cancel negotiations on the EU-Central America association agreement scheduled for next week in Brussels (EUROPE 9932). The Swedish Presidency announced that a decision to this end had been taken "in agreement with the various member states", according to a diplomat speaking after the meeting. The countries of the EU have also agreed to "avoid making contact at political level" with the Honduran authorities, so as to avoid making any gestures which could legitimise the new powers that be, the diplomat added. Regarding Spain's request for coordinated European action to withdraw the ambassadors of the member states from their posts in Honduras, it is felt that it is too early for an initiative of this kind, given the rapid pace at which events are developing, with further discussions on this issue included on the agenda of the meeting of the Political and Security Committee of Friday 3 July. The elected President Manuel Zelaya, who was run out of the country by the Honduran army on Sunday 28 June, announced on Tuesday 30 June from the headquarters of the United Nations that he would return to Tegucigalpa on Thursday, accompanied by President Kirchner of Argentina, President Correa of Ecuador and Secretary General Insulza of the Organisation of American States. The UN, the EU and the United States have all condemned the coup d'état in Honduras.
On Wednesday, the German MEP Helmuth Markov (GUE/NGL) called for the immediate suspension of the preferential access enjoyed by certain Honduran products to the European market under the generalised system of preferences GSP+, as this system provides for, amongst other things, the observation of social and good governance standards. His Spanish counterpart Willy Meyer announced that he would be travelling to Honduras this Thursday. He voiced his hopes that the Conference of Presidents and political groups of the European Parliament would be able to include the Honduras issue on the agenda of its forthcoming plenary session (14-16 July), so that a declaration condemning the military coup could be adopted. "Europe must take a firm stance", said José Bové (Greens/EFA, France), who paid tribute to the resistance efforts of the Honduran social movements. Speaking on behalf of the movement Copenhagen Initiative for Central America (CIFCA), Mr Perez said that there was no longer any point in holding negotiations between the EU and Central America, as "the Central American countries no longer wish to sit at the same table as Honduras". (M.B./trans.fl)