US sends envoys to Honduras talks

Talks between Roberto Micheletti and Manuel Zelaya broke down

Three senior US officials are being sent to Honduras in an effort to resolve the country's political crisis, the US state department says.

The delegation will urge interim leader Roberto Micheletti and ousted President Manuel Zelaya to resume stalled talks.

Negotiations broke down last week after Mr Micheletti said he would step down, but only if Mr Zelaya also gave up his claim to the presidency.

The US is keen for a deal to be reached before elections due on 27 November.

Analysts say the stumbling block in negotiations is whether Mr Zelaya can return to the presidency ahead of the presidential ballot.

US Assistant Secretary of State Tom Shannon will lead the US delegation, due to travel to Honduras on Wednesday.

On Saturday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called both leaders to discuss the situation.

Constitutional issue

Mr Zelaya, who was deposed in late June, is currently taking refuge in the Brazilian embassy in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa.

Mr Zelaya has been at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa for a month

His term of office is due to end at the end of January.

Mr Zelaya's camp accuses the interim government of using delaying tactics to prevent the ousted leader serving out his remaining weeks in power before the election.

Mr Micheletti's team rejects this. They have proposed that the country's Supreme Court and Congress should submit official proposals to the negotiating commission on Mr Zelaya's possible reinstatement.

The Supreme Court ruled that Mr Zelaya had violated the constitution in June, while Congress voted to remove him from office.

Mr Zelaya was sent into exile on 28 June after trying to hold a vote on whether a constituent assembly should be set up to look at rewriting the constitution.

Despite attempts by the interim government to keep him out of Honduras, he made a surprise return in September when he took refuge in the Brazilian embassy.