Brazil Lula calls on Honduras rulers to negotiate

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Tuesday urged Honduras' de facto government to negotiate a way out of a political crisis that escalated after ousted President Manuel Zelaya slipped back into the country.

Speaking to journalists in New York, Lula said Brazil was doing what "any democratic country would do" by granting Zelaya refuge in its embassy in Tegucigalpa.

"Brazil is guaranteeing that he stays there -- that is an international right and we do not expect the coup leaders to touch the Brazilian embassy. We expect them to negotiate," said Lula, who is in New York to attend the United Nation's general assembly.

Outside the Brazilian embassy in the capital Tuesday, Honduran police fired tear gas at demonstrators who threw back rocks, and a Reuters photographer said at least two gas canisters landed inside the embassy compound.

Lula said he spoke this morning with Zelaya, and asked him to discourage violence. The president repeated that the international community can not accept a government that has not been elect democratically.

"If you don't like your government you change it in the next elections. What we can not tolerate is that coup leaders become presidents without winning elections," he said.

(Editing by Jackie Frank)