The situation in Central America: threats to international peace and security and peace initiatives
- Author: UN General Assembly
- Document source:
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Date:
17 December 1991
The General Assembly,
Recalling Security Council resolutions 530 (1983) of 19 May 1983, 562 (1985) of 10 May 1985, 637 (1989) of 27 July 1989, 644 (1989) of 7 November 1989, 650 (1990) of 27 March 1990, 653 (1990) of 20 April 1990, 654 (1990) of 4 May 1990, 656 (1990) of 8 June 1990 and 719 (1991) of 6 November 1991, and its resolutions 38/10 of 11 November 1983, 39/4 of 26 October 1984, 41/37 of 18 November 1986, 42/1 of 7 October 1987, 43/24 of 15 November 1988, 44/10 of 23 October 1989, 44/44 of 7 December 1989 and 45/15 of 20 November 1990,
Aware that the agreement on "Procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace in Central America" signed at Guatemala City on 7 August 1987 by the Presidents of the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, at the Esquipulas II summit meeting, is the outcome of the decision by Central Americans to take up fully the historical challenge of forging a peaceful destiny for Central America,
Convinced that the peoples of Central America wish to achieve peace, reconciliation, development and justice, without outside interference, in accordance with their own decision and their own historical experience, and without sacrificing the principles of self-determination and non-intervention,
Aware also of the political will which inspires them to settle their differences by means of dialogue, negotiation and respect for the legitimate interests of all States, establishing commitments to be fulfilled in good faith, through the verifiable performance of actions aimed at achieving peace, democracy, security, cooperation and respect for human rights,
Taking note of the second report of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador of 15 November 1991 and of the report of the Secretary-General of 28 October 1991 concerning the United Nations Observer Group in Central America,
Taking note with satisfaction of the work carried out in the region by the Group in verifying the security commitments entered into by the Central American Governments under the agreement signed at the Esquipulas II summit meeting, and of the work of the International Support and Verification Commission in the repatriation and relocation of displaced persons and refugees, which it has undertaken with the cooperation of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Development Programme, and of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador, which is monitoring compliance with human rights commitments,
Convinced that the National Conciliation Agreement on Economic and Social Matters reached in Nicaragua on 26 October 1990 and phase II thereof, signed on 15 August 1991, constitute positive and promising contributions to strengthening the process of democratization, development and peace in Nicaragua and in the region,
Observing with satisfaction that the Government of El Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Marto para la Liberacion Nacional are continuing the negotiating process, begun on 4 April 1990 under the auspices of the Secretary-General, with a view to putting an end, once and for all, to the armed conflict by political means in the shortest possible time, as well as promoting the democratization of the country, guaranteeing unrestricted respect for human rights and reunifying Salvadorian society,
Observing also with satisfaction the progress of the talks between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca aimed at ending the internal armed confrontation and bringing about reconciliation and full respect for the human rights of all Guatemalans, which have taken place under the auspices of the National Reconciliation Commission of Guatemala, in the presence of the Representative of the Secretary-General,
Recognizing the unfailing determination of the Rio Group to achieve peace in Central America and the valuable contribution made by its member States throughout the regional peace effort,
1. Commends the effort made by the Central American countries to achieve peace through the implementation of the agreement on "Procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace in Central America" signed at Guatemala City on 7 August 1987, as well as of the agreements adopted at subsequent summit meetings;
2. Expresses its strongest support for these agreements and urges the Governments to continue their efforts to consolidate firm and lasting peace in Central America;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to afford the fullest possible support to the Central American Governments in their efforts to consolidate peace, especially by taking the measures necessary for the maintenance, establishment and effective functioning of the appropriate verification machinery;
4. Welcomes the implementation of phases I and II of the National Conciliation Agreement on Economic and Social Matters concluded in Nicaragua on 26 October 1990 and 15 August 1991 and endorses, in particular, the provision concerning exceptional circumstances and the invitation made in phase I to the international community and the international funding agencies to provide effective and efficient support for the implementation of the Agreement, and also supports the agreements reached in phase II regarding property rights and privatization;
5. Fully endorses the efforts of the Secretary-General to bring about peace in Central America and in particular his active role as an intermediary in Guatemala and El Salvador;
6. Urges the Government of El Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Mart? para la Liberacion Nacional to step up the confidence-building and security measures unilaterally adopted by them in order to maintain the suspension of the armed confrontation pending the conclusion in the shortest possible time of political agreements which will put an end to the armed conflict once and for all and will achieve the other goals laid down in the Geneva Agreement of 4 April 1990;
7. Expresses its support for the process of negotiation between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca, which has given rise to the agreements signed at Mexico City on 26 April 1991 and the Quer?taro Agreement signed at Quer?taro, Mexico, on 25 July 1991, and encourages both parties to continue their efforts to reach a political solution to the long process of confrontation experienced by Guatemala;
8. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session on progress made in implementing the present resolution.
B
CENTRAL AMERICA: REGION OF PEACE, FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind the importance of the commitments assumed by the Central American Presidents under the agreement signed at Guatemala City on 7 August 1987 at the Esquipulas II summit meeting; the declarations adopted at Alajuela, Costa Rica, on 16 January 1988 and at Costa del Sol, El Salvador, on 14 February 1989; the agreements concluded at Tela, Honduras, on 7 August 1989, at Montelimar, Nicaragua, on 3 April 1990, at Antigua, Guatemala, on 17 June 1990 and at Puntarenas, Costa Rica, on 17 December 1990; and the Declaration of San Salvador of 17 July 1991,
Recognizing the importance of all aspects of the peace-keeping operations which have been carried out in Central America, pursuant to the decisions of the Security Council and with the support of the Secretary-General, and the need to preserve and enhance the results obtained,
Considering that at their meetings at Montelimar, Nicaragua, and Antigua, Guatemala, the Central American Presidents reaffirmed their determination to set Central America on the road to a stable peace through the establishment of democratic regimes throughout the region, the individual and collective forging of a better economic and social future for the area, and the design of specific mechanisms and courses of action for the peaceful settlement of disputes or possible conflicts between the States of the region,
Considering also that, at the Puntarenas summit meeting, the Presidents declared Central America to be a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development, and that in the Declaration of San Salvador they agreed to update the legal framework of the Organization of Central American States and to work for the inclusion of Central America in a world order marked by interdependence, the emergence of new forms of integration and cooperation and the effective implementation of international law,
Considering the commitments which have been entered into during the negotiations on security, verification, and control and limitation of arms and military personnel, within the Security Commission established under the agreement signed at the Esquipulas II summit meeting, for the purpose of achieving a stable and lasting peace in Central America,
Taking into consideration that the force of the new democratic spirit prevailing in Central America has created a sphere of political action which makes it feasible to resume with greater momentum the process of regional integration, as the basis for a firm and lasting peace in the region, taking into account the specific circumstances of each country,
Bearing in mind the political determination in Central America to strengthen the process of cooperation in the political, economic and social fields, which complements the progressive steps towards pacification, reconciliation and democratization,
Reaffirming the belief that peace is one, undivided and indivisible, and thus inseparable from freedom, democracy and development, and that these goals are essential for consolidating the transformations which will guarantee sustained, participatory and equitable development in Central America and redefining the manner in which the Central American economies are linked to the rest of the world,
Recognizing the valuable and effective contribution of the United Nations and of various governmental and non-governmental mechanisms to the process of democratization, pacification and development in Central America,
Recognizing also the importance for the progressive transformation of Central America into a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development of both the political dialogue and the economic cooperation set in motion by the Ministerial Conference on Political Dialogue and Economic Cooperation between the European Community and the Central American countries and the joint initiative of the industrialized countries (Group of Twenty-four) and the group of cooperating countries (Group of Three), in Latin America, through a Partnership for Democracy and Development in Central America,
Bearing in mind that there remain in Central America major obstacles to the full exercise of peace, freedom, democracy and development, the final overcoming of which requires a global frame of reference which would enable the international community to focus its support on efforts towards collective affirmation and democratic progress being made by the Central American countries,
1. Reaffirms the decision of the Presidents of the Central American countries to declare Central America a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development;
2. Encourages the initiatives of the Central American countries to consolidate Governments which genuinely represent the will of their people and which base their development on democracy, peace, cooperation and strict respect for human rights and on security, verification, and control and limitation of arms and military personnel;
3. Welcomes with satisfaction the agreements reached and progress made by the Security Commission in the creation of a new security model based on coordination, communication and prevention, confidence-building between the States of the region, and the presentation of an inventory of weapons present in Central America;
4. Stresses the importance that the outcome of the political dialogue and economic cooperation between the European Community and its member States, the States of Central America and Panama and the group of cooperating countries (Group of Three) as well as the initiative of the industrialized countries (Group of Twenty-four) and the group of cooperating countries (Group of Three), through the Partnership for Democracy and Development in Central America, have for the efforts of the Central American countries to achieve peace and to consolidate democracy and economic development;
5. Requests the Secretary-General and the organizations of the United Nations system to provide, as appropriate and within the available resources, the necessary technical and financial support to the Central American Governments for the purpose of consolidating the processes of peace, freedom, democratization and development in the region;
6. Reiterates the importance that the Special Plan of Economic Cooperation for Central America, which the General Assembly welcomed in its resolution 42/231, has for the implementation of this resolution, in particular because it provides the underpinning for the execution of the Central American Economic Plan of Action, which the Central American Presidents approved at their meeting held at Antigua, Guatemala, in June 1990;
7. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-seventh session an item entitled "The situation in Central America: procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace and progress in fashioning a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development";
8. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a report to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session on progress made in implementing the present resolution.
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