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Geneva Agreement between the Government of El Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberación Nacional

UNITED
NATIONS
General Assembly            Security Council Distr.
GENERAL

A/46/551
S/23128
9 October 1991
ENGLISH
ORIGINAL: SPANISH

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Forty-sixth session
Agenda item 31
THE SITUATION IN CENTRAL AMERICA:
THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND
SECURITY AND PEACE INITIATIVES		 SECURITY COUNCIL
Forty-sixth year

Letter dated 8 October 1991 from the Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a copy of the "Geneva Agreement" signed at Geneva, Switzerland, on 4 April 1990 by representatives of the Government of El Salvador and of the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberación Nacional (see annex).

I should be grateful if you would have this note and its annex distributed as an official document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 31, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Ricardo G. CASTANEDA
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

ANNEX

Geneva Agreement
(4 April 1991)

At the request of the Central American Presidents and within the framework of the mandate of good offices conferred on me by the Security Council under resolution 637 of 27 July 1989, I have held consultations with the Government of El Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) in order to agree on the format, mechanism and pace of a process aimed at bringing about as speedily as possible, under my auspices, a definitive end to the armed conflict in that country. I have agreed to carry out this effort at the request of the Government and FMLN and because I have received assurances from both parties that there is a serious and good faith intention to seek to bring about such an end through negotiations. As a result of my consultations, the Government and FMLN have agreed on the points set forth below, which are designed to ensure that the process is conducted in an efficient and serious manner and promotes mutual trust through appropriate guarantees.

I believe that in addition to their intrinsic importance, the scrupulous maintenance of these guarantees will demonstrate the desire and ability of the parties to carry out any commitments they make during the negotiations. On this understanding, the Government and FMLN have pledged not to abandon the negotiating process.

1. The purpose of the process shall be to end the armed conflict by political means as speedily as possible, promote the democratization of the country, guarantee unrestricted respect for human rights and reunify Salvadorian society.

The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council. Once that has been achieved, the process shall lead to the establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.

2. The process shall be conducted under the auspices of the Secretary-General, on a continuous and uninterrupted basis.

3. In order to ensure the success of the negotiating process, the Government and FMLN agree to an approach which shall involve two types of complementary activities: direct dialogue between the negotiating commissions with the active participation of the Secretary-General or his Representative, and an intermediary role by the Secretary-General or his Representative between the parties to ensure that both the Government and FMLN are committed at the highest level. The Secretary-General shall seek to ensure that these activities are conducted in a manner that genuinely contributes to the success of the process. The Government and FMLN shall ensure that their negotiating commissions have full powers to discuss and conclude agreements.

4. The Government and FMLN agree that the process shall be conducted in the strictest secrecy. The only public information on its progress shall be that provided by the Secretary-General or his authorized Representative.

5. The Secretary-General, at his discretion, may maintain confidential contacts with Governments of States Members of the United Nations or groups thereof that can contribute to the success of the process through their advice and support.

6. The Government of El Salvador and FMLN agree that the political parties and other representative social organizations existing in El Salvador have an important role to play in the attainment of peace. They also recognize the need for both the Government and FMLN to maintain appropriate, ongoing information and consultation mechanisms with such parties and social organizations in the country, and that the latter must undertake to preserve the secrecy necessary to the success of the dialogue process. When it is deemed appropriate and on the basis of mutual consent, the commissions may call upon representatives of these parties and organizations in order to receive their inputs.

7. The Government and FMLN likewise recognize that it is useful for the Secretary-General to maintain contacts with Salvadorian individuals and groups whose input may benefit his efforts.

Geneva, 4 April 1990

Representing the Government
of El Salvador:

(Signed)
Mr. Oscar SANTAMARIA

(Signed)
Ambassador Guillermo PAZ LARIN

(Signed)
Ambassador Ana Cristina SOL

(Signed)
Ambassador Carlos Ernesto MENDOZA

 Representing the Frente Farabundo Martí
para la Liberación Nacional:

(Signed)
Commander Shafik HANDAL

(Signed)
Mr. Salvador SAMAYOA

(Signed)
Commander Ana Guadelupe MARTINEZ

(Signed)
Commander Roberto CANAS

In the capacity assigned to me by the United Nations Security Council in resolution 637 (1989)

(Signed) Javier PEREZ DE CUELLAR
Secretary-General of the United Nations

Int. Criminal Law: Country List | Human Rights in El Salvador
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