Central America and Haiti.

• Position: Peacewatch - UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's report on peace and development in the region

For the first time in decades, not one of the countries in Central America was plagued by internal conflict, Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported on 31 August.

The Secretary-General was certain that, with the support and efforts of the international community as a whole, the Central American region could become a "model of conflict resolution, consolidated by peace and democracy through comprehensive development and the adoption of political solutions".

The United Nations, through its Verification Mission in Guatemala-MINUGUA - had continued to monitor the implementation of the 1996 Peace Agreements and provide good offices and advisory services.

From 18 to 20 November, a workshop on weapons collection and integration of former combatants into civil society - the first of its kind - was held in Guatemala City. Organized by the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, the workshop brought together participants from 20 countries and 10 United Nations agencies, regional organizations and citizen groups. The discussions were led by government officials, former guerrillas and representatives of civil society from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

In Haiti, there was "no question that the situation of human fights has improved, despite the threats that exist to the stability of the country", Mr. Annan reported on 10 September. h was urgent for political figures to abandon their delaying tactics and allow President Rene Preval to exercise his constitutional right to appoint a Prime Minister, for a Government to be rapidly established, and for everyone to get to work, the Secretary-General said. "The Haitian people ale tired; they yearn for justice and aspire to economic and social development. They have suffered for too long from the policies of politicians and are demanding to take their destiny into their own hands", he stressed.

Responding to the request of the President of Haiti, the Security Council on 25 November extended the United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH) until 30 November 1999. As it adopted resolution 1212 (1998) by 13 votes to none, with 2 abstentions (China, Russian Federation), the Council...