SAN JOSE, Costa Rica: Honduras' ousted leader says he's not here to negotiate but to arrange his return to power. Coup leaders insist his reinstatement is not negotiable. And even the host of Thursday's talks sought to dampen expectations of a quick fix to the crisis.

Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya listens to a question during his arrival at Juan Santamaria airport in Alajuela July 8, 2009. The two rivals in Honduras' political crisis prepared on Wednesday to open talks on possible solutions to last month's coup, but a quick breakthrough looked unlikely. [Agencies]

Negotiations in Costa Rica's capital to end the standoff over last month's military-backed coup in Honduras have star backing - Nobel laureate Oscar Arias is mediating at US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's request - but that may not be enough to end a crisis some consider the Obama administration's first big test in Latin America.

"In two days there could be a solution or it could be that in two months there is no solution," said Arias, Costa Rica's current president, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his role in mediating civil wars in Central America.

But he added that usually once talks start, "positions begin to soften."

The sides couldn't be much farther apart.

On arriving at San Jose's airport late Wednesday, ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya told reporters that he plans to "listen to the de facto government explain how they plan to leave" and expects them out in 24 hours.

Zelaya, a leftist who was toppled by the military and flown out of Honduras on June 28, said he wasn't in Costa Rica to negotiate because doing so "would be like inviting to dialogue someone who violated your family."

Roberto Micheletti, the congressional leader who was named president by legislators following the coup, staunchly maintained the coup was legal because congress and the Supreme Court had ruled Zelaya violated the constitution by pursuing a referendum on retooling the charter.

On Wednesday, Micheletti hinted he might not even attend the talks, saying Honduras would be represented by a delegation. He declined to say if he would be part of the delegation.

The national security council of Honduras' interim government was meeting early Thursday to decide if the security conditions were in place for the delegation to even fly to the talks in Costa Rica.

The world - including the US government, the United Nations and the Organization of American States - has rallied behind Zelaya, demanding he be returned to power and imposing or threatening sanctions and aid cuts against Micheletti's de facto administration.

Protests demanding Zelaya's return and those in favor of Micheletti have filled Honduras' streets in recent days.

So far the coup leaders have shown few signs of giving in, vowing to weather the storm.

Zelaya, a wealthy rancher who moved to the left after his election and allied himself with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, made an unsuccessful attempt to return home Sunday despite Micheletti's promise that he would be arrested on arrival. The thwarted bid sparked clashes between his supporters and security forces at the Tegucigalpa airport. At least one person was killed.