Situation in Central America reviewed; attacks against Nicaragua condemned.

Situation in Central America Reviewed; Attacks against Nicaragua Condemned

ON 11 November, the Assembly adopted a consensus resolution (38/10) condemning "attacks launched from outside Nicaragua against that country's strategic installations', as well as the "continued losses in human life in El Salvador and Honduras [and] the destruction of important public works' in those countries.

The Assembly acted after taking up, on 8 November, a new agenda item, proposed by Nicaragua, entitled "The situation in Central America: threats to international peace and security and peace initiatives'. Some 60 speakers were heard in debate during seven meetings.

Noting that the "military presence of countries from outside the region', carrying out "overt and covert' actions, had heightened tensions in the region, the Assembly reaffirmed the right of all countries of the region to live in peace and decide their own future, free from all outside interference or intervention, "whatever pretext may be adduced or whatever the circumstances in which they may be committed'.

By the text, the Assembly also urged States of the region and other States to refrain from initiating military operations that would aggravate the situation in Central America.

The Assembly expressed firm support for the Contadora Group (Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela) and welcomed the Cancun Declaration by those Governments. It also welcomed the "Document of Objectives' (document S/16041) endorsed by the Contadora Group and five Central American countries--Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua --as the basis for negotiations "to ensure harmonious coexistence in Central Amerca'.

(Those 21 objectives cover political, economic, social and security matters. The goals unclude: stopping the arms race in Central America; eliminating arms traffic; preventing installation of foregn military bases; and undertaking economic and social development programmes.)

In addition, the Assembly noted with satisfaction that the countries of the region had agreed to take measures to establish and/or improve "democratic, representative and pluralistic systems which will guarantee effective popular participation in decision-making and ensure the free access of various currents of opinion to honest and periodic electoral processes based on the full observance of civil rights'.

Debate

There was universal support for the efforts of the Contadora Group and its regional initiative toward a negotiated settlement of the problem. The Document of Objectives was widely endorsed as the basis for negotiations. Several speakers commended what they saw as Nicaragua's "positive attitude' toward a negotiated settlement and supported that country's four-point peace proposal (see below). A view was expressed, however, that that proposal was "unilateral and partial'

Security Council resolution 530 (1983) was seen as a valuable contribution to the peace-making process by many, who also felt the Secretary-General's role in that context should be made more extensive.

Many States called for a negotiated settlement, observance of the principles of non-intervention in the internal affairs of States and of Self-determination, and international aid to promote economic and social progress. They also stressed the need for the problems to be resolved by the people of Central America themselves.

Many speakers condemned what they called the United States interventionist policy in Central America and its "covert activities' aimed at destabilizing countries in the area, especially Nicaragua. A number of nations expressed disapproval of United States armed aggression against Grenada, saying it violated norms of international law and threatened peace in the region. That and other United States military activities in Central America were leading up to a "second Viet Nam', in one view.

Another view was expressed that "super-Power meddling' had a direct bearing on aggravating the situation in Central America and that the Central American people must not be allowed to become the "victims of the contention of the super-Powers for spheres of influence'.

Some States said Nicaragua was the destabilizing factor in the regional crisis. Several emphasized the complexity of the problem, stating that it stemmed from political, diplomatic, military, economic and social factors. Unrest in Central America could not be attributed solely to...