Ma made the statement during a meeting with a nationally televised meeting with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega Saavendra of the leftist Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) at the Casa de la Presidente (House of the President) in Managua.

Ma was met at the airport by Nicaraguan Vice President Jaime Morales and Foreign Minister Samuel Santos and an honor guard.

President Ortega had been expected to personally welcome his Taiwan counterpart, but Morales explained in his welcoming statement at the airport that the Nicaraguan president had "pressing public business" but would meet Ma at the presidential office. At the time, Ortega attended a memorial mass for the late Sandinista Managua mayor Alexis Arquello, a popular figure who was a key Ortega supporter in the ruling FSLN.

From the airport, Ma and the Taiwan delegation proceeded to the Casa de la Presidente (the presidential house) where he was welcomed by Oretega and first lady and Coordinator of the Council for Communication and Citizenship Rosario Murillo, who held a simultaneously broadcast discussion with the visiting Taiwan president.

Among the topics discussed by the two leaders was what Ortega referred to as "the tragedy in Honduras."

"I want to tell the Honduran people what Manuel Zelaya has stated ... this Saturday or more likely Sunday, he will return," Ortega told Ma, according to a wire service report.

Ma responded by relating that, three days after the coup, the KMT government adopted the same attitude of "opposing any behavior that violates democracy and the rule of law" and supported all efforts by international and regional organizations that could help the situation return to normal.

Ma added that he regretted having to cancel his planned visit to Honduras due to the coup.

Moreover, the Taiwan president noted that Latin America had built "a new tradition of democracy and the rule of law during the past 20 years" and that "building such a tradition is very difficult but destroying it can be very easy."

The Taiwan president, who yesterday stated that his government could not take any action besides issuing its condemnation of the coup since the crisis was an "domestic matter" for Honduras, told Ortega Friday that his government supported efforts by international organizations and regional bodies, including the Organization of American States, to restore constitutional order and hoped that their efforts will be successful as soon as possible.

Ma also related that Taiwan has many cooperation programs with Nicaragua in health, industry and agricultural technology, including technical assistance programs in rice, corn, beans, guava and other corps and fruits and said "we hope these can continue and expand."

Ma acknowledged that the global financial crisis had affected Taiwan as well, but added that "we will continue these plans" since Taipei

realized that its diplomatic allies were affected "even worse."

Ortega also related that his failure to meet Ma on June 1 when both were in San Salvador for the inauguration of El Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes was due to his own attendance at a mass rally held by Funes's governing Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) and did not indicate any rupture in relations between Taipei and Managua.

Ortega added that early the following morning Murillo had seen Ma swimming in the pool of the Radisson Hotel, where both delegations were staying, and that he and Ma had agreed to have long discussions on the current visit instead of a rushed meeting in San Salvador.

Reports of a rift "were the invention of the news media," said the Nicaraguan president.

After Ortega related the story about his wife seeing the Taiwan president swimming at the Radisson Hotel in San Salvador, Ma quipped that he realized that Murillo exercises much more than the Nicaraguan president, who boasts a sizable paunch.

The Taiwan president stated that "in order to see that you get more exercise, I decided to bring you a bicycle as a gift," a remark that sparked a sharp laugh from Murillo and an embarrassed smile from Ortega.

Ma gave the Nicaraguan president an envelope with a picture of a Taiwan made Giant "Halfway 75" bicycle, for which Ortega expressed his gratitude.

After a short rest at the Crown Palace Managua, Ortega, accompanied by Santos, drove Ma and Ou to Mastepe, a town 45 kilometers southwest of Managua, to review an exhibition on red beans and other agricultural products produced on agricultural cooperatives with technical assistance from Taiwan's International Cooperation and Development Fund.

Speaking at the exhibition, Ma promised that the Taiwan government would continue both its agricultural assistance and other existing cooperation programs, including the "Zero Hunger Campaign" (Hambre Cero en Nicaragua) plan of the FSLN government to "ensure that no one goes hungry in your country."

Ma is slated to participate in a ground breaking ceremony Saturday for a "Microfer" commercial exhibition center for agricultural and commercial "microenterprises" that will be financed by the Taiwan government before departing from Managua International Airport for home through an overnight transit in Hawaii.

The president and his entourage are expected to land at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 11 pm Monday evening.