Toppled Honduras President Manuel Zelaya reads the accord with de facto leader Roberto Micheletti at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa, 30 Oct 2009Media reports in Honduras say a power-sharing government between oustedPresident Manuel Zelaya and interim leader Roberto Micheletti isexpected to be in place by November 5.

Honduran officials saythey are confident Congress will approve the deal to reinstate Mr.Zelaya, just weeks ahead of the November 29 presidential election. Neither Mr. Zelaya nor Mr. Micheletti will run in the election.

Authorities say a date for the congressional vote on the agreement has not yet been set.

Thebreakthrough pact came late Thursday with Mr. Micheletti authorizinghis negotiating team to sign the agreement, which he said "marks thebeginning of the end" of the country's lengthy political crisis.  

TheHonduran Supreme Court would need to authorize Congress to vote onwhether to allow Mr. Zelaya to return to power and serve the remainingthree months of his term.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed the agreement as "historic."  

TheOrganization of American States issued a statement commending Mr.Zelaya and Mr. Micheletti for showing what it called flexibility andpatriotic sentiment.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he hopes Honduras is now on the path to restoration of democratic, constitutional rule.

Mr.Zelaya was expelled from Honduras by troops June 28, with opponentsaccusing him of trying to illegally change the constitution to extendhis term in office.  

The ousted leader secretly returned to the country in September and took refuge at the Brazilian Embassy, where he remains.

TheMicheletti government has filed a formal complaint against Brazil withthe International Court of Justice in The Hague for sheltering Mr.Zelaya.  


Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.