'Encouraging progress' reported in peace process: Mission mandate extended by Assembly.

The General Assembly on 31 M-arch renewed for a "further period of six months" the mandate of the Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala (MINUGUA). In adopting resolution 49/236, the Assembly also called upon the parties--the Government and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG)--to follow the recommendations of the Mission and comply fully with their commitments under the 29 March 1994 Comprehensive Agreement.

The Assembly stressed the importance of broad support for and cooperation with the Mission, set up on 19 September 1994, and in particular with respect to the security of its members.

The international community was asked to increase support for institution-building and cooperation projects intended to strengthen the human rights protection system in Guatemala, particularly through voluntary contributions to the trust fund for the Guatemalan peace process being established by the Secretary-General.

In stressing the importance of the early conclusion of the agreement on "a firm and lasting peace" in the country. the Assembly urged the parties to "make good on their commitment to give new momentum to the negotiating process".

Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on 2 April, during a visit to Guatemala, noted "encouraging progress" in the peace process. He said the first four months of MINUGUA, which was playing a "vital monitoring role", had gone well.

On 31 March in Mexico City, the parties had signed an agreement on identity and rights of indigenous people, he noted. "The vision which Guatemalans have cherished for years--the vision of a society united in lasting peace--is slowly becoming a reality", Mr. Boutros-Ghali observed.

"As the efforts of Guatemalans for national reconciliation continue. those efforts will continue to be backed by the international community with the United Nations as its instrument."

The presence of MINUGUA "can be an important factor both in improving the human rights situation in Guatemala and in enhancing the prospect for an early end to the armed confrontation", the Secretary-General reported (A/49/860) on 8 March.

The Mission--fully deployed since 28 February, with headquarters in Guatemala City, eight regional offices and five sub-offices--had a total of 211 international and 67 locally-recruited staff, and was "close to attaining its authorized strength of 245 international staff", he stated.

"Dedication and flexibility can lead quickly to agreements that constitute real advances for Guatemalan society", the Secretary-General had stressed in a 1 March report (A/49/857-S/1995/168). He hoped that the parties would negotiate "in the same spirit on outstanding substantive issues".

MINUGUA Director Leonardo Franco of Argentina, in a 1 March report (A/49/856) containing 31 recommendations--27 addressed to the Government and 4 to UNRG--expressed concern over "numerous violations of the right to life", including cases of extrajudicial executions or deaths in violation of legal guarantees. Widespread impunity was considered the "most serious obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights in Guatemala", he said.

"However, in many different sectors of Guatemalan society, there is already a feeling that MINUGUA is doing work that is beneficial to the country. There is also an expectation that the Mission will be able to continue to promote efforts to ensure human rights, peace and national reconciliation", Mr. Franco concluded.