Central America peace process progresses.

The Central American peace process progressed in February and March with the successful conclusion of UN-supervised elections in Nicaragua and steps to demobilize the Nicaraguan resistance in that country with assistance from an expanded mandate for the UN Observer Group in Central America (ONUCA).

More than 1.5 million Nicaraguans went to the polls on Sunday, 25 February, in the first UN-monitored elections in an independent country.

Voting took place without intimidation or violence" and was evaluated as "free and fair" by ONUVEN-the UN Observer Mission to verify the electoral process in Nicaragua-said Secretary-General javier Perez de Cuellar. ONUVEN "not only observed but actively facilitated an orderly, free and fair election in Nicaragua".

Violeta Barrios de Chamorro was elected President, with 54.7 per cent of total ballots cast. Both she and outgoing President Daniel Ortega Saavedra requested a UN presence in Nicaragua until the 25 April inauguration, to facilitate a peaceful and orderly transition process. Mrs. Chamorro headed the National Opposition Union coalition slate. Mr. Ortega Saavedra was the candidate of the Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional (FSLN), in power since 1979.

Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar announced on 1 March that a transition team of 12 UN officers headed by ONUVEN chief S. lqbal Riza would remain in Nicaragua's capital city, Managua, until the end of April.

After his Personal Representative for the Electoral Process in Nicaragua, Elliot Richardson, reported the morning after the elections a "smooth unfolding of the process", Mr. Perez de Cuellar said that both he and the world Organization were "very pleased", in particular at having played a role in this effort.

Yesterday Nicaragua took a major step toward national reconciliation and hence Central America as a whole took a great stride towards peace and democratization", he stated.

He added: "While the immediate victory is for the candidates who have won the elections, the Government of Nicaragua deserves warm commendations for having convened these elections ahead of schedule, having submitted to the test of the people's will, and accepting the verdict of the ballot box."

At a 13 March press conference in New York, Mr. Richardson said that prospects of disbanding the contras before the formal transfer of power in Nicaragua were good, because both the outgoing and incoming administrations and the United States would support such a move.

Mr...