Honduras' de facto government and Manuel Zelaya, the deposed president, have agreed to reopen talks, raising hopes for a breakthrough in a crisis that has gripped the country for more than three months, a diplomat has said.

John Biehl, an envoy of the Organisation of American States (OAS), said on Friday that representatives of the two camps would begin meeting next week.

"There is going to be a call to dialogue. The current government will make it, and the other party will accept. That has been agreed." Biehl said.

"There is a greater willingness to engage in dialogue to find a solution, in concert with the international community. Passion has given way to reason."

The meeting will probably be held before the arrival of a diplomatic mission by regional foreign ministers and Jose Miguel Insulza, the OAS secretary general, on Wednesday, he said.

'Acceptable agreement'

After several unsuccessful attempts at relaunching negotiations, the OAS, which suspended Honduras from the 35-nation regional body in July, will try to reach an agreement soon and avoid any delaying tactics, Biehl said.

Many observers have cited the first, and subsequently rejected, San Jose accord, which was presented by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, as a likely basis for a new agreement.

That currently includes the reinstatement of Zelaya, who was ousted in a military-backed coup on June 28, to the presidency and elections as a way to end the stalemate.

The interim regime, which wants to press charges of treason, corruption and abuse of authority against Zelaya, said the Arias plan could become an "acceptable agreement" with some changes.

Biehl made his comments after an OAS mission, which the interim government expelled last Sunday, joined him in Honduras to pave the way for the high-level talks.

Zelaya was ousted by soldiers at gunpoint after he riled the country's political and business leaders by calling for a referendum to change the constitution - seen as a bid to stay in office - and  boosted his ties with Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's leftist president.

His surprise return to the country on September 21 set off protests and the clampdown, but also intensified efforts to resolve the three-month-old crisis.

He has been holed up since his return in the Brazilian embassy, surrounded by soldiers.