U.N. assembly chief sees Zelaya reinstatement soon

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. General Assembly president Miguel D'Escoto said on Friday he believed a solution could be close to restore ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya to office.

"I hear we may be very close to a solution for the restitution of President Zelaya," D'Escoto, a Nicaraguan left-winger who accompanied Zelaya on a failed mission to fly back to Honduras last Sunday, told a U.N. news conference.

D'Escoto expressed optimism over a solution despite the fact there has been no public sign of a deal. Zelaya and the man put in his place by a June 28 coup, Roberto Micheletti, failed to reach any accord or even meet face-to-face in mediation talks in Costa Rica on Thursday.

D'Escoto said his belief was based on "conversations" but he declined to give further details. "I have a feeling we're moving in that direction rather quickly. I may be wrong, but I hope not," he said.

"I feel confident that a solution will be arrived at very soon. By soon I mean very few days. A week is soon, but I believe sooner," he added.

(Reporting by Anupreeta Das; Writing by Patrick Worsnip; Editing by Frances Kerry)