2009-07-05 08:06:01 -

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Organization of American States on Saturday night suspended Honduras' participation in the organization because of last week's military coup.
Honduras' interim government has already said it is quitting the organization rather than meet demands to reinstate the ousted president.
The decision was made during a special meeting of foreign ministers and supported by 33 out of 34 members of the Organization of American States with one abstention _ Honduras.
«The suspension takes effect immediately,» Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana said, reading the resolution before the body. The move temporarily sidelines Honduras from any participation in the OAS, but obliges it to continue observing the body's rules in areas such as human rights.
Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza had asked the organization to punish the de facto government by suspending the country from the organization. Minutes before Insulza's report to foreign ministers, ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said he's optimistic and is still planning to return to his country Sunday in an effort to retake office, a week after he was overthrown by a military coup.

Zelaya's return would set up a showdown between his supporters _ mostly the country's poor and middle class _ and the largely well-to-do backers of the coup that ousted him. Supporters of the coup have held their own daily marches in support of Roberto Micheletti, the congressional president tapped by lawmakers to finish out the six months left in Zelaya's term.
The president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez, said OAS officials would accompany Zelaya but no national leaders would join the ousted president.