El Salvador moves towards reconciliation: joint declaration signed.

PositionIncludes related article on United Nations human-rights mission in Guatemala

A joint declaration--signed by the Government of El Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional (FMLN) on 4 October--reflected the parties' determination to see the 16 January 1992 Peace Accords "implemented fully and urgently for the benefit of all Salvadorians", Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali reported on 6 October.

In the declaration, both sides had agreed to: cooperate closely and actively to ensure full compliance with all the Accords; establish joint mechanisms, with the participation of the UN Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL); determine specific measures necessary for the rapid fulfilment of their commitments; and keep the Salvadorian people and the international community informed of any decisions and steps they took. They also reiterated their request that the UN extend the mandate of ONUSAL until 30 April 1995.

Progress welcomed

In welcoming steps taken by Salvadorian President Calderon Sol to ensure compliance with the outstanding provisions of the Peace Accords, the Security Council on 16 September said it was encouraged by El Salvador's "transformation from a country riven by conflict into a nation on the path to reconciliation".

While some delays and difficulties still persisted, progress had been achieved in areas relevant to the "strengthening and modernization of the democratic institutions", the Council observed in a statement (S/PRST/1994/54) by its President Juan Antonio Yanez-Barnuevo of Spain.

It reaffirmed the need to ensure that, under appropriate verification by ONUSAL, the police and public security provisions of the 1992 Accords were "scrupulously observed". In particular, the Council expected the Government to "accelerate the demobilization of the National Police".

Concern was expressed at the "limited progress of the land-transfer programme, delays and distortions in other reintegration programmes and the unresolved problem of the human settlements".

The need for full implementation of the March 1993 recommendations of the Commission on the Truth was reiterated. In that regard, the Council welcomed the unanimous election of an independent Supreme Court of Justice as an "important step in the process of reform of the judicial system".

Significant steps

The FMLN-established as a "fully legal party" in the politic life of El Salvador--despite "formidable difficulties", had come to constitute a "credible opposition" in the National Assembly and maintained a "presence at the...

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