Brussels, 22/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - "Until a peaceful negotiated solution has been found, the EU will continue to restrict contacts at political level with representatives of the de facto government and suspend Member States' bilateral development cooperation with government institutions, other than humanitarian assistance and emergency relief", the Swedish Presidency said in a press release on behalf of the EU, dated Tuesday 21 July. It has not ruled out the possibility of adopting new "targeted measures", but did not elaborate on these. The EU reiterates its support for the mediation of the Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, who has proposed to the two parties- that of the deposed president Mr Zelaya and that of the de facto government led by Mr Micheletti- the creation of a national union government led by Mr Zelaya and the calling of early elections. His proposals have so far met with no success, although a reflection period is set to run until this Thursday. Speaking before the committee on foreign affairs of the European Parliament on Tuesday, the Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said that the EU did not intend to break off the relations with Honduras, but that it was prepared to do so if necessary.
On a tour of Mexico, the European Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, on Monday 20 July deplored the breakdown in negotiations carried over the weekend to seek an end to the political crisis in Honduras: "I very much regret that it has not been possible to this date to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution to the Honduran crisis, in line with proposals made by President Arias". "In view of the circumstances, I have taken the difficult decision to suspend all budgetary support payments" to Tegucigalpa, she added. The Commission's overall aid to Honduras has an envelope of 223 million euros over the period 2007-2013. 65.5 million euros go to the budgetary assistance of the Honduran government over the period 2007-2010. So far, 6.5 million euros have been suspended, a European Commission source explained. (M.B./trans.fl)