UNifeed: GA / ZELAYA WRAP

GA / ZELAYA WRAP

Addressing the General Assembly, ousted Honduran President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales says world leaders have spoken "loud and clear" in voicing their "outrage" over Sunday's coup d'etat. UNTV

Duration:02:31Date:30 June 2009

Categories:

United Nations Television, POLITICAL AND LEGAL QUESTIONS, HONDURAS

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Full Script

STORY: GA / HONDURAS 2
SOURCE: UNTV
TRT:  2.31
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: SPANISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 30 JUNE 2009, NEW YORK CITY/ FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.	Wide shot, exterior UN building

30JUNE 2009, NEW YORK CITY

2.	Zoom in, General Assembly Hall
3.	Med shot, GA President D’escoto adapting resolution by acclamation
4.	Various shots, audience applause
5.	Wide shot, Zelaya walking to the podium
6.	SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, President of Honduras:
“Immediately I run downstairs, wearing pajamas, I went down the stairs and I shielded myself from the bullets, coming from the right and from the left. They were heavy caliber bullets, so I hid behind the air conditioners outside, when all of a sudden they broke the doors and pointed their guns at me.”
7.	Wide shot, podium
8.	Zoom out audience
9.	Wide shot, pres conferences dais
10.	SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, President of Honduras:
“I am going to complete -and I have always said this – my mandate till the 27 of January. There are reforms on the way but don’t apply to my government; they will be for the next government. In Honduras reelection is prohibited, so there is no possibility of reelection or to continue in power. There is no possibility that this will happen” 
11.	Med shot, reporters
12.	SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, President of Honduras:
“Someone might allege that something is illegal, well, if I did something illegal then try me. Take me to a tribunal; give me the right to a defense. I will go to trial and defend myself. But, do not break the constitution, don’t break the rule of law, don’t affect the international community, don’t involve the army to arrest and kidnap the president and take him out of the country with his family and all.”
13.	Med shot, reporters
14.	SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, President of Honduras:
“I think that this has been an absurd and arbitrary move of a group of persons who used the military for belligerent ends, for power or to enrich themselves”
15.	Wide shot, audience
16.	SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, President of Honduras:
“I am going to return on Thursday because they expelled me by force, and I am going to return the same way as I always return; as a citizen and as President.”
17.	Wide shot, audience and dais

STORYLINE:

The General Assembly today (30 June) condemned this weekend’s coup d’état in Honduras, calling for the restoration of the democratically-elected President and constitutional Government.

According to media reports, President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales was ousted by the military on Sunday, hours before a referendum was slated to be held on changing the Honduran constitution.

Zelaya, addressing the General Assembly, described the events leading to his arrest and exile saying that while still wearing pajamas, he had to hide from ”bullets, coming from the right and from the left” before “all of a sudden they broke the doors and pointed their guns at me.”

Today’s Assembly resolution, which was adopted by acclamation, deplored the coup, which it stated has “interrupted the democratic and constitutional order and the legitimate exercise of power in Honduras.”

The resolution – sponsored by Bolivia, Venezuela, Mexico and the United States, among dozens of Member States – also stressed that it will not recognize any Government other than that of Mr. Zelaya’s.

At a press conference after the General Assembly meeting, the Honduran President denied any intention to extend his mandate beyond the 27 January 2009. He said that “in Honduras reelection is prohibited, so there is no possibility of reelection or to continue in power.”

A referendum proposing changes the Honduran constitution had been slated to take place just hours after Zelaya’s arrest. I had been alleged that the referendum was intended to allow him to seek reelection.

Zelaya said that “if I did something illegal then try me. Take me to a tribunal; give me the right to a defense. I will go to trial and defend myself. But, do not break the constitution, don’t break the rule of law, don’t affect the international community, don’t involve the army to arrest and kidnap the president and take him out of the country with his family and all.”

Speculating on the reasons behind the coup, the Honduran President said that “this has been an absurd and arbitrary move of a group of persons who used the military for belligerent ends, for power or to enrich themselves”

Zelaya announced that he will be returning to Honduras on Thursday, accompanied by General Assembly President Miguel D’escoto Brockmann, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez and the President of Ecuador Rafael Correa Delgado, among others.

He said that he is going to return “the same way as I always return; as a citizen and as President.”

On Sunday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his deep concern over the takeover in Honduras and voiced his strong support for the Central American nation’s democratic institutions.

In a statement, Mr. Ban urged “the reinstatement of the democratically elected representatives of the country and full respect for human rights, including safeguards for the security of President Zelaya, members of his family and his government.”

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