In Tela, history is made.

The Caribbean port city of Tela, in Honduras, is the site of what many consider a major breakthrough in the long process to end years of strife and convulsion in Central America. The agreements signed there on 7 August by the Presidents of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua are the latest results of the arduous, complex and often frustrating negotiating process, to bring peace to the area. Three key documents were adopted at the Tela summit: a Declaration, a joint Plan for the voluntary demobilization, repatriation or relocation of members of the Nicaraguan resistance, and a bilateral agreement between Honduras and Nicaragua. These and other Central America accords relevant to the ongoing search for peace are listed below.

* The 1987 GUATEMALA AGREEMENT. The centre-piece of the negotiating process. Officially entitled "Procedure for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace in Central America!", it is also known as Esquipulas II, for the small town in Guatemala where it was signed by the five Central American Presidents on 7 August 1987.

It calls for national reconciliation, dialogue and amnesty, an end to hostilities, democratization and free elections. Termination of aid to "irregular forces or insurrectionist movements", non-use of territory to attack other States, negotiations on security, verification and control and limitation of weapons, establishment of an international verification commission, and assistance to refugees and displaced persons are also asked.

The Agreement was adopted on the initiative of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez, who won the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize for his effort.

* The ALAJUELA JOINT DECLARATION. Signed in Alajuela, Costa Rica, on 16 january 1988, it ratifies the Guatemala Agreement.

* The COSTA DEL SOL JOINT DECLARATION. Signed at Tesoro Beach, Costa del Sol, El Salvador, on 14 February 1989, it also ratifies and furthers the Guatemala Agreement. Specifically, it asks the UN to send military observers to verify the security provisions of the Guatemala Agreement and a group of civilian observers to monitor the Nicaraguan electoral process.

* The TELA DECLARATION. Signed in Tela, Honduras, on 7 August 1989 by the five Presidents, it too ratifies the Guatemala Agreement, as well as the Alajuela and Costa del Sol joint Declarations. It also endorses the joint Plan for demobilization and the Honduras/ Nicaragua bilateral agreement, both signed at Tela.

* The JOINT PLAN for the voluntary demobilization, repatriation or relocation of members of the Nicaraguan resistance and their families and for assistance in the demobilization of all those involved in armed actions in the countries of the region when such persons voluntarily request it. The Plan provided for the creation by the UN and OAS Secretaries-General of the International Support and Verification Commission (CIAV).

* The BILATERAL AGREEMENT between Honduras and Nicaragua. Under its terms, Nicaragua would eventually withdraw its case against Honduras before the International Court of justice. Honduras would withdraw its reservations regarding the United Nations Observer Group in Central America.