When diplomats representing the European Union and Brazil meet in Stockholm Tuesday, one of the topics on the agenda will be the ongoing crisis in Honduras and how both sides can help promote a political solution. International concern has been rising ever since a military-backed coup forced leftist Honduran President Manuel Zelaya from office on June 28. Honduras was plunged into a political crisis after the country's Supreme Court ordered Zelaya's arrest for allegedly seeking to illegally amend the constitution to allow presidents to serve more than a single four-year term. The consequent military action led to Central America's first coup in more than a decade and sent Zelaya into exile. He eventually slipped back into Honduras almost two months later to claim sanctuary in the Brazilian Embassy.
International concern has been rising ever since a military-backed coup forced leftist Honduran President Manuel Zelaya from office on June 28.
Honduras was plunged into a political crisis after the country's Supreme Court ordered Zelaya's arrest for allegedly seeking to illegally amend the constitution to allow presidents to serve more than a single four-year term.
The consequent military action led to Central America's first coup in more than a decade and sent Zelaya into exile. He eventually slipped back into Honduras almost two months later to claim sanctuary in the Brazilian Embassy.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A summit between the European Union and Brazil in Stockholm on Tuesday (6 October) saw leaders call for added urgency on climate change negotiations. Amid rhetoric suggesting the formation of a new strategic alliance on the topic, the two sides also announced their intention to meet again in November, just days before the start of UN climate change negotiations in Copenhagen. Signs of a new alliance? "We want to increase the pressure on this climate debate," said Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency. "There is a lot of concern that we are not making enough progress," he said. Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, the leaders made supportive comments on each others' commitments to reduce carbon emissions, with Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva highlighting Europe's more ambitious targets when compared to the US.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A summit between the European Union and Brazil in Stockholm on Tuesday (6 October) saw leaders call for added urgency on climate change negotiations.
Amid rhetoric suggesting the formation of a new strategic alliance on the topic, the two sides also announced their intention to meet again in November, just days before the start of UN climate change negotiations in Copenhagen.
Signs of a new alliance?
"We want to increase the pressure on this climate debate," said Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency.
"There is a lot of concern that we are not making enough progress," he said.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, the leaders made supportive comments on each others' commitments to reduce carbon emissions, with Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva highlighting Europe's more ambitious targets when compared to the US.
