Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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June 28, 2009

Obama 'Deeply Concerned' by Arrest of Honduran President
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=2509757:A6F02AD83191E160C069B9200F4D0C252A201403E89ED254&
 
President Obama says the situation must be resolved peacefully through
negotiations free from any outside interference 
Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya salutes during a news conference at
the presidential house in Tegucigalpa, Friday, 26 June 2009U.S.
President Barack Obama says he is "deeply concerned" about the detention
and expulsion of Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya by Honduran
soldiers. President Obama said the situation must be resolved peacefully
through negotiations free from any outside interference. He called on
all sides in Honduras to respect democratic norms and the rule of law.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez denounced Mr. Zelaya's arrest and
according to the French news agency (AFP), suggested the United States
may have played a role - an allegation quickly rejected by the White
House. The European Union was also quick to condemn the military's
action against the Honduran president. The EU called for Mr. Zelaya's
urgent release and a swift return to constitutional normality. The
Organization of American States is holding an emergency meeting in
Washington Sunday on the Honduran situation. Honduran soldiers arrested
Mr. Zelaya early Sunday at his home. He later arrived in Costa Rica. The
Honduran president was detained shortly before voting was to start in a
referendum on changing the constitution to allow him to run for another
term. Mr. Zelaya had insisted on holding the referendum even though the
Honduran Supreme Court ruled it illega. 

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters. 


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