Honduras snubs OAS leader, cancels visit

By Gustavo Palencia

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The de facto rulers of Honduras snubbed the head of the Organization of American States on Sunday and canceled a planned visit for talks on the crisis caused by a coup in June.

The OAS, which suspended Honduras over the coup, had planned to send secretary-general Jose Miguel Insulza with a group of foreign ministers on Tuesday.

"The intransigence of the secretary general in insisting he be part of the mission ... has made it impossible that the visit go ahead," Honduras' foreign ministry said in a statement.

During a visit to Honduras days after soldiers forced President Manuel Zelaya out of the country, Insulza called for the president to be reinstated and did not meet directly with de facto leader Roberto Micheletti.

Honduras' de facto government said it was willing to reschedule the visit as long as it does not include Insulza, who it accused of "lacking objectivity, impartiality and professionalism."

The Washington-based OAS is the Western Hemisphere's top diplomatic body and often mediates diplomatic and political crises in the region.

Honduras is expected to be discussed at U.S. President Barack Obama's first "three amigos" summit with the leaders of Mexico and Canada on Sunday and Monday in Mexico.

Obama has canceled $16.5 million in military aid to Honduras and has condemned Zelaya's removal, as have Latin American governments and the European Union.

But the administration headed by Micheletti, the former head of Congress, appears to be digging in and the country's elite say they will keep Honduras running even if Micheletti is not recognized by foreign governments.

Before the coup, Central America's worst political crisis since the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989, Zelaya was pushing for constitutional reforms that included letting presidents seek re-election.

His opponents accused him of trying to stay in power, but he denies the allegation.

Mediation efforts by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias have so far failed to achieve Zelaya's return.

(Editing by Noel Randewich and Doina Chiacu)