Tegucigalpa  - Roberto Micheletti, who heads the Honduran government set up after the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya, vowed while meeting Tuesday with a delegation from the Organization of American States (OAS) that new elections would be held.

"There will be elections, whether the countries of the world recognize us or not," Micheletti said.

OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza led the delegation, accompanied by seven foreign ministers from the Americas.

"We do not fear anyone's embargo. We have already analyzed calmly and firmly that this country can get by without your support and that of other countries," Micheletti told his guests.

Zelaya was ousted by the military on June 28.

The international community has condemned the action as a coup and refused to recognize the government headed by Micheletti, who was next in line for the presidency as speaker of the National Congress.

The OAS delegation met with members of Congress, supporters and relatives of Zelaya and with religious, labour, political and business leaders in Honduras before heading to the presidential palace to meet with Micheletti.

This was the first time meeting of OAS representatives with Micheletti since Zelaya was toppled.

The delegation included foreign ministers Peter Kant of Canada, Jorge Taiana of Argentina, Bruno Stagno of Costa Rica, Kenneth Baugh of Jamaica, Patricia Espinosa of Mexico, Carlos Morales Troncoso of the Dominican Republic and Juan Carlos Varela of Panama.

In his role as mediator, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias has demanded that Zelaya be allowed to return to power. But the new regime in Tegucigalpa refused.

Micheletti insisted Tuesday that it would be impossible to reinstate Zelaya and suggested that a third person - neither Micheletti nor Zelaya - might head a Honduran transition government until the scheduled end of Zelaya's elected term on January 27, 2010.

As a condition for stepping aside for a transition government until the regularly scheduled November 28 elections, Micheletti demanded that the OAS reinstate Honduran membership, which the hemispheric group suspended in July.

Zelaya had been seeking to change Honduran law to allow himself to seek re-election when the military expelled him from the country, with the support of the Supreme Court.  (dpa)