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, G.A. res. 50/132, 50 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 67, U.N. Doc. A/50/49 (Vol. I) (1995).



              
 
      The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and its own
resolutions, particularly resolutions 48/161 of 20 December 1993 and 49/137 of
19 December 1994, in which it recognized the importance of international
support for Central America, within an appropriate global frame of reference,
in order to preserve and extend the progress made in the process of
consolidating peace, democracy and sustainable development and thereby to
overcome the obstacles that are preventing Central America from becoming a
region of peace, freedom, democracy and sustainable development,
 
      Recognizing the importance and validity of the commitments made by the
Central American Presidents since the Esquipulas II summit meeting of 7 August
1987 and their subsequent summit meetings, especially the fifteenth meeting,
held at Gu cimo, Costa Rica, from 18 to 20 August 1994, the Central American
Environment Summit for Sustainable Development, held at Managua on 12 and 13
October 1994, the International Conference on Peace and Development in Central
America, held at Tegucigalpa on 24 and 25 October 1994, and the sixteenth
meeting of Central American Presidents, held in El Salvador in March 1995,
 
      Reaffirming that there can be no peace in Central America without
sustainable development or democracy, which are essential for ensuring the
processes of change in the region and for implementing the integrated proposal
for sustainable development agreed on at the most recent meetings of Central
American Presidents, in particular the Central American Environment Summit for
Sustainable Development and the International Conference on Peace and
Development in Central America,
 
      Convinced of the hopes that inspire the peoples of Central America to
achieve peace, reconciliation, development and social justice, and the
commitment to settle their differences by means of dialogue, negotiation and
respect for the legitimate interests of all States, in accordance with their
own decision and their own historical experience, while fully respecting the
principles of self-determination and non-intervention,
 
      Recognizing the validity of the Declaration of Commitments in favour of
the populations affected both by uprootedness and by conflicts and extreme
poverty, adopted at Mexico City on 29 June 1994, and the role of lead agency
which the United Nations Development Programme has assumed in the place of the
mandate formerly discharged by the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees,
 
      Drawing attention to the establishment of the Alliance for the
Sustainable Development of Central America, which constitutes the new
integrated development strategy at the national and regional levels and
defines the political, moral, economic, social and environmental priorities,
and to the signing, at the El Salvador summit meeting in March 1995, of the
Treaty on Central American Social Integration, one of whose main objectives is
investment in human capital, and bearing in mind that the Central American
Integration System is the institutional framework which makes possible the
effective, ordered and coherent promotion of integrated development,
 
      Emphasizing the importance of cooperation and international solidarity
in supporting the efforts being made by the peoples and Governments of Central
America for the consolidation of a firm and lasting peace, and the need to
strengthen the new programme of cooperation and economic, technical and
financial assistance for Central America in the light of the new situation in
the region,
 
      Noting the efforts made by the Central American Security Commission and
the importance of the ongoing negotiation of the Central American security
treaty in accelerating the establishment of a new model of regional security,
as provided for in the Tegucigalpa Protocol, and the agenda and programme of
specific action for sustainable development adopted at the fifteenth Central
American summit meeting, held at Guacimo,
 
      Welcoming the role played by the peace-keeping operations of the United
Nations which carried out fully their mandate in Central America pursuant to
the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, and recognizing the
importance of the observer and monitoring missions planned or under way in the
region in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly,
 
      Stressing the importance of the determination of the Government of
Guatemala and of the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca to achieve
the full exercise of human rights and to reach, as promptly as possible, an
agreement to establish a firm and lasting peace, in accordance with the
Framework Agreement for the Resumption of the Negotiating Process between the
Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca of
10 January 1994 and the hopes of the Guatemalan people, and the importance of
full compliance by both parties with the other agreed commitments,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 48/267 of 19 September 1994, 49/236 A of 31
March 1995 and 49/236 B of 14 September 1995, by which it decided to establish
the United Nations Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of
Compliance with the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights
in Guatemala and extended the mandate of the Mission,
 
      Emphasizing the role of international cooperation in national efforts
towards peace, in particular in contributing to the trust fund for the
Guatemala peace process set up by the Secretary-General on 1 March 1995,
 
      Stressing also the importance of the current electoral process in
strengthening the democratic institutions of Guatemala,
 
      Noting with satisfaction the signing of the Agreement on Identity and
Rights of Indigenous Peoples on 31 March 1995, at Mexico City, in the
framework of the Guatemala peace process,
 
      Noting with appreciation the efforts being made by the people and
Government of El Salvador to consolidate the progress made in the transition
towards a society characterized by democracy, the rule of law and respect for
human rights, and commending the reaffirmation by the Government of El
Salvador of its political will to honour fully its commitments under the Peace
Agreement, for the benefit of all Salvadorans,
 
      Welcoming resolution 50/7 of 31 October 1995, in which it approved the
proposal of the Secretary-General to extend the mandate of the Mission of the
United Nations in El Salvador for a period of six months, with a gradual
reduction of its strength and costs, in a manner consistent with the effective
performance of its duties, in order to exercise his good offices and to
monitor the application of pending questions related to the peace agreements,
 
      Welcoming also the adoption of resolution 49/16 of 17 November 1994, in
which it recognized the exceptional circumstances that still prevail in
Nicaragua,
 
      Recognizing that the efforts of the Government of Nicaragua to
consolidate peace and democracy, repair its economy and rebuild the nation
merit the urgent support of the international community and the United Nations
system in order to preserve the gains made and overcome the effects of the war
and natural disasters which persist in Nicaragua, and that the request of the
Nicaraguan Government for United Nations observers during the elections to be
held in 1996 also merits support,
 
      Recognizing also the valuable and effective contribution made by the
United Nations and by various governmental and non-governmental mechanisms to
the gradual transformation of Central America into a region of peace, freedom,
democracy and development, and the importance of the political dialogue and
economic cooperation which are taking place in the ministerial conference
between the European Union and the Central American countries, and the joint
initiative by the industrialized countries of the Group of Twenty-four and the
countries of the Group of Three as cooperating countries, under the auspices
of the Association for Democracy and Development in Central America,
 
      Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General of 3 October 1995 on
the situation in Central America,
 
      1.    Commends the efforts of the peoples and Governments of the Central
American countries to consolidate peace and promote sustainable development by
implementing the agreements adopted at the summit meetings, especially the
commitments adopted at the recent presidential meetings, and requests the
Secretary-General to continue to give the fullest possible support to the
initiatives and activities of the Governments of the Central American
countries;
 
      2.    Supports the decision of the Presidents of the Central American
countries to declare Central America a region of peace, freedom, democracy and
development, and encourages the initiatives of the Central American countries,
in the framework of the integrated strategy for sustainable development and
based on the latest Central American meetings, to consolidate Governments that
base their development on democracy, peace, cooperation and respect for human
rights;
 
      3.    Draws attention to the decision of the Presidents of the Central
American countries embodied in the Declaration of Guacimo, in which the
national and regional strategy known as the Alliance for the Sustainable
Development of Central America became an integrated initiative reflected in a
programme of immediate action in the political, moral, economic, social and
environmental fields, through which the Central American countries hope to
become, with the support of the international community, an example of
sustainable development for other regions;
 
      4.    Welcomes the efforts of the Central American countries to promote
economic growth oriented towards human development, as well as the progress
achieved in strengthening democracy and consolidating peace in the region;
 
      5.    Emphasizes the work accomplished by the Central American
Integration System, the registry of the Tegucigalpa Protocol with the United
Nations Secretariat and the granting of observer status by the General
Assembly, expresses its full support for the progress achieved by the  Central
American countries in stimulating and broadening the process of Central
American integration, and calls on Member States and international
organizations to provide effective cooperation to Central America so that
subregional integration is strengthened and becomes an effective mechanism for
achieving sustainable development;
 
      6.    Supports the concern of the Central American countries to create a
new model of regional security based on a reasonable balance of forces and the
pre-eminence of civil authority, urges the Central American Security
Commission to pursue negotiations for the preparation of the treaty on
democratic security in Central America, which constitutes one of the basic
aims of the Central American Integration System, and requests the
Secretary-General to provide it with the requisite support in a timely manner;
 
      7.    Encourages the Security Commission to pursue negotiations for the
preparation of the treaty on democratic security in Central America with a
view to speeding up the establishment of the new model of regional security;
 
      8.    Stresses the importance of intensifying the serious and resolute
negotiations between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria
Nacional Guatemalteca, and urges that negotiations on the remaining agenda
items should be concluded without delay with a view to reaching at the
earliest possible date a firm and lasting peace agreement, thus completing the
peace process in Central America;
 
      9.    Takes note with satisfaction of the Agreement on Identity and
Rights of Indigenous Peoples as an important step in the peace process in
Guatemala and a milestone in the International Decade of the World's
Indigenous People;
 
      10.   Calls upon the parties to comply fully with their commitments
under the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala and their human
rights commitments under the Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous
Peoples and to implement the corresponding recommendations of the United
Nations Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with
the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala;
 
      11.   Requests the Secretary-General, the organizations of the United
Nations system and the international community to continue their support for
the peace process and hence for efforts to promote national reconciliation,
democracy and development in Guatemala;
 
      12.   Reiterates its appreciation of the peace efforts of the Secretary-
General, the Group of Friends (Colombia, Mexico, Norway, Spain, the United
States of America and Venezuela) and the relevant United Nations bodies, as
well as its appreciation of the contribution of the Assembly of Civil Society
and other Guatemalans within the constitutional framework and the peace
agreements;
 
      13.   Welcomes the Contadora Declaration signed on 22 August 1995 by the
political forces of Guatemala, in which they committed themselves to assuring
that the Government that will take office on 14 January 1996 will respect the
agreements already reached in the peace process and will make every effort to
bring that process to an early and successful conclusion;
 
      14.   Calls upon the Government of El Salvador and all the political
forces involved in the peace process to make all possible efforts to complete
the implementation of all remaining aspects of the Peace Agreement;
 
      15.   Notes with satisfaction the establishment by the Secretary-General
of the Trust Fund for the Mission of the United Nations in El Salvador and the
extension of the Mission's mandate for a six-month period as from 31 October
1995 in order to continue to observe and monitor the implementation of the
remaining commitments until they have been fully met, and emphasizes the
importance of continued cooperation between the Mission of the United Nations
in El Salvador and other organizations of the United Nations system in the
consolidation of the Peace Agreement;
 
      16.   Reiterates its recognition of the effective and timely
participation of the Secretary-General and his representatives and encourages
them to continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the successful
implementation of all the commitments made by the parties to the El Salvador
Peace Agreement, including the joint effort undertaken by the Government of El
Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Mart! para la Liberaci"n Nacional to obtain
resources to facilitate the full implementation of the Peace Agreement;
 
      17.   Recognizes the achievements made by the people and Government of
Nicaragua in their efforts to consolidate peace, democracy and reconciliation
among Nicaraguans, as well as the importance of reaching a national
understanding in order to define a national development strategy through
political dialogue and economic and social consultation among all sectors of
the country, thereby strengthening grass-roots support for the country's
reconstruction, and emphasizes how important it is for the Secretary-General
to comply with Nicaragua's request for observers to be present during the
electoral process in 1996;
 
      18.   Supports the treatment accorded to Nicaragua in the light of its
continuing exceptional circumstances, so that the international community and
financial institutions can incorporate that treatment into programmes to
support the country's economic recovery and social reconstruction;
 
      19.   Expresses its appreciation of the work of the support group for
Nicaragua (Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden), which, under
the coordination of the Secretary-General, is playing an active role in
supporting the country's efforts towards economic recovery and social
development, particularly with regard to solving the external debt problem and
securing investments and new resources that will allow the country's economic
and social reconstruction programmes to continue, and requests the
Secretary-General to continue to support those efforts;
 
      20.   Emphasizes the importance that the political dialogue and economic
cooperation taking place within the ministerial conference between the
European Union and its member States and the Central American countries, with
the participation of the Group of Three as cooperating countries, have for the
efforts of the Central American countries to achieve peace, consolidate
democracy and ensure sustainable development;
 
      21.   Also emphasizes the commitments on sustainable development adopted
at the fifteenth meeting of Central American Presidents, held at Gu cimo,
Costa Rica, the sixteenth meeting of Central American Presidents, held in El
Salvador in March 1995, the Central American Environment Summit for
Sustainable Development, held at Managua, and the International Conference on
Peace and Development in Central America, held at Tegucigalpa, and urges the
international community to give them every support;
 
      22.   Reiterates the importance of the support of the United Nations
system through its operational activities, in particular the United Nations
Development Programme, aimed at facilitating the development of programmes and
projects which are indispensable for strengthening peace and the development
process in the region, bearing particularly in mind the new strategy for
subregional development established by the Alliance for the Sustainable
Development of Central America, and urges the international community to lend
its support to the achievement of the goals of the new strategy for
development in Central America;
 
      23.   Recognizes the importance of accessions to the Treaty on Central
American Social Integration and the fulfilment of the commitments made at
Mexico City in June 1994 to benefit populations affected by uprooting,
conflicts and extreme poverty;
 
      24.   Reiterates its full appreciation and gratitude to the Secretary-
General for his efforts to promote the pacification process and the
consolidation of peace in Central America, and to the groups of friendly
countries which have made a direct contribution to attaining those ends, and
requests that those efforts be continued;
 
      25.   Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly
at its fifty-first session on the implementation of the present resolution;
 
      26.   Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the 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".
      

 

 



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