UN observers asked to verify Central American peace plan.

As envisaged by the Central American Presidents in their joint Declaration issued in El Salvador on 14 February 1989, the United Nations may provide military observers for the region as a key element for verification of the security commitments of the Agreement to establish peace in the region signed in Esquipulas, Guatemala, in August 1987.

Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar on 8 February met with the Foreign Ministers of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua and the Vice-Foreign Minister of Guatemala to clarify procedures for verifying security arrangements reached under the Guatemala Agreement.

On 9 February, a UN spokesman said that new moves were planned to further the Guatemala Agreement. The Ministers had asked Mr. Perez de Cuellar to take steps towards establishing a mechanism under UN auspices, to verify compliance with security commitments under the Agreement. These commitments concern the cessation of aid to irregular forces and insurrectionist movements operating in the region, and the non-use of territories to support such groups.

In mid-March, Central American envoys and UN officials discussed a plan designed by a UN technical team, headed by Under-SecretaryGeneral for Special

Political Affairs Marrack Goulding. A UN spokesman indicated that,    on the
basis of a formal request by    the Central American countries     for the
establishment of an    observer force, the Secretary-General would send a

reconnaissance mission to the region before submitting a formal proposal to the Security Council. Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, Spain and a Latin American country had been mentioned as possible observer-providing countries.

The five Central American countries have also provided for a role for the UN to assist in designing and implementing a plan for voluntary demobilization and repatriation or relocation of the Nicaraguan resistance and their families currently in Honduras. This plan was to have been agreed to within 90 days as of the El Salvador Summit.

In addition, the UN and the Organization of American States have been asked to monitor the electoral process in Nicaragua throughout the 10-month period leading to elections on 25 February 1990.

Following the 14 February meeting in El Salvador, the Secretary-General said the "encouraging results" reflected a 1, genuine effort to put the peace process back on track". The UN, he said, was expected to assist in implementation of several aspects of their agreements. While much effort was still required to achieve all the goals of the Guatemala Agreement, the renewed political will reflected in the San Salvador meeting was a "promising sign which should receive the strong support of the international community".