GENERAL ASSEMBLY EXTENDS MANDATE OF EL SALVADOR MISSION, ELECTS SEVEN MEMBERS TO PROGRAMME AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE

31 October 1995

Press Release
GA/8979

GENERAL ASSEMBLY EXTENDS MANDATE OF EL SALVADOR MISSION, ELECTS SEVEN MEMBERS TO PROGRAMME AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE

19951031 The General Assembly this morning extended the mandate of the Mission of the United Nations in El Salvador (MINUSAL) until 30 April 1996, with a gradual reduction of its strength and cost in a manner compatible with the efficient performance of its functions.

The mandate was extended by means of a resolution adopted without a vote. By that text, Member States and international institutions were called upon to continue to provide assistance to the Government and people of El Salvador and to lend support to the Mission's efforts. The Assembly recognized the political commitment of the parties to the Chapultepec peace agreements to continue to work together for their implementation, and welcomed the continued commitment of the Government and people of El Salvador to consolidating the peace.

The representative of Spain, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the European Union supported the presence of MINUSAL and agreed with the proposal of the Secretary-General included in the draft resolution to extend MINUSAL for six months with a gradual reduction of its strength and cost. Swifter progress was needed in implementing the peace accords to avoid undermining the peace process. He stressed the importance of carrying out judicial reform.

Welcoming adoption of the resolution, the representative of El Salvador said progress was being made on establishing the national civil police and on the programmes of land transfer and reintegration of the former combatants of both parties into the civil and institutional life of the country. Those actions demonstrated the commitment of the Government of El Salvador to comply with the peace agreements. It showed that the international community would continue to support the Government of El Salvador.

The resolution was introduced by the representative of Mexico.

Also this morning, the Assembly continued its commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the International Youth Year, hearing statements by the representatives of Greece, Australia, South Africa, Andorra, United Arab Emirates and Suriname.

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In another action, the Assembly elected the following to serve on the Committee for Programme and Coordination for three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1996: China, Egypt, Japan, Republic of Korea, Togo, Uruguay and Zaire.

The Assembly also decided to postpone consideration of the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and to include it on the agenda of its next session.

The General Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 1 November, to take up the report of the Second Committee, containing a draft resolution on the World Food Programme; the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and a draft resolution on that subject; and a draft resolution on multilingualism, as well as related amendments.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to consider the situation in Central America and elections to the Committee for Programme and Coordination. It will also take up commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the International Youth Year, as well as the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

Situation in Central America

Before the Assembly is report of the Secretary-General (document A/50/517) which assesses the state of implementation of various aspects of the peace agreements verified by the Mission of the United Nations in El Salvador (MINUSAL). "Five months after the establishment of the Mission, it is clear that implementation of some elements of the peace accords remains incomplete, while significant delays persist in the case of others." The Secretary- General accordingly recommends that the Mission's mandate be extended for a further six months, until 30 April 1996, with a gradual reduction of strength and cost.

While the strength of the National Civil Police has now exceeded by some 2,700 the target indicated in the accords, it has continued to appear insufficient to counter the growing tide of crime afflicting the country, the report states. "Public insecurity, fostered by already high levels of common crime, has only grown in the face of an increase in violence associated with drug trafficking, organized crime and the proliferation of street gangs and illegally armed vigilante groups that have arisen to combat them."

According to the report, the authorities have argued that the continuing deployment of joint patrols of the Police and the Armed Forces in rural areas is necessary to combat and deter delinquency. The Secretary-General notes that the use of military forces for public security purposes is not in compliance with the constitutional procedures established pursuant to the peace accords, except when the National Civil Police has been found incapable of addressing a specific crisis.

The Secretary-General goes on to say that a series of troubling developments have arisen that point to a potential reversal in the process of consolidating the National Civil Police and highlight a lack of coherence between its development and the public security scheme designed in the peace accords. Those developments included months of delay in the naming of a Police Inspector-General during a period in which reported irregularities within the Police have evidenced an urgent need for occupation of that position; strong indications of criminality, including alleged assassination and the membership of illegal armed groups, within the National Civil Police itself; and initiatives to develop public security structures which could possibly undermine those mandated by the peace agreements.

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"The developments outlined above make it clear that it is of crucial importance that government efforts to counter the exceptionally high levels of criminality affecting the country should not be carried out at the expense of training new police agents and the further development of the National Civil Police into an institution which will be effective in protecting the rights of all Salvadorans."

The Secretary-General welcomes the fact that coordination between the National Civil Police and the National Counsel for Human Rights in handling public disturbances has improved considerably, but adds that the latter must be strengthened and must receive a higher budgetary provision in order to discharge its mandate fully.

The screening and vetting of judges by the Supreme Court of Justice has been proceeding slowly, according to the report. The MINUSAL has continued to encourage the Court in the good work it has initiated, but this effort is far from nearing completion. The preparation by the Court of the legal texts mandating further judicial reforms for submission to the Legislative Assembly has yet to begin.

Delays have plagued the land transfer programme, the report continues. While 74 per cent of the potential beneficiaries have received titles to land, only 25 per cent of them had their titles filed with the land registry. The land programme could only be considered complete when the beneficiaries are able to register their titles and thus to sell the land if they so wish. "A sharp decline in the rate of transfer in the month of August is a source of concern and could portend a considerable delay in meeting the goals of the programme of work."

Another area of the programme facing problems is that of human settlements, the report states. Given the delicacy of the issue and its potential to aggravate social tensions, if such problems are not sorted out the goal of completing that area of the programme in the second quarter of 1996 could be in jeopardy.

Regarding electoral matters, the report states that the experience of the presidential, legislative and local government elections of 1994 convinced participants and observers alike that profound reforms to the Salvadoran electoral system were necessary. "In order to ensure the legitimacy of the local government and legislative elections of 1997, I would urge members of all parties to ensure the timely adoption of the electoral reforms. I would also like to reiterate that an administrative and structural transformation is necessary if the Supreme Electoral Tribunal is to become a credible, professional, democratic and non-partisan institution."

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Also before the Assembly is a draft resolution (document A/50/L.7/Rev.1) by which the mandate of the Mission of the United Nations in El Salvador would be extended for six months, with a gradual reduction of its strength and cost in a manner compatible with the efficient performance of its functions. Member States and international institutions would be called upon to continue to provide assistance to the Government and people of El Salvador and to lend support to the Mission's efforts. The Assembly would further recognize the political commitment of the parties to the Chapultepec peace agreements to continue to work together for their implementation. The continued commitment of the Government and people of El Salvador to consolidating the peace process would be welcomed.

That draft is sponsored by Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, United States and Venezuela.

According to a related report of the Fifth Committee (document A/50/700) containing a statement on the draft's programme budget implications, additional requirements would be $886,900 in the 1996-1997 budget and no more than $367,400 in the 1994-1995 budget, both in the sections dealing with peace-keeping operations and special missions.

Elections to Committee for Programme and Coordination

According to a note by the Secretary-General (document A/50/209), the General Assembly must elect seven members, on the nomination of the Economic and Social Council, to the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC). The Council has recommended the following to fill vacancies for a term of three years, beginning on 1 January 1996: Egypt, Togo, Zaire, China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Uruguay. Those recommendations were made in accordance with the required geographical distribution of seats.

Introduction of Draft Resolution

MANUEL TELLO (Mexico) introduced the draft resolution on the situation in Central America.

JUAN A. YANEZ-BARNUEVO (Spain), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the end of the cruel civil conflict in El Salvador had been enshrined in the Chapultepec Agreements of January 1992. The subsequent years had seen the transition to peace and reconciliation. The whole population was now immersed in a process of normalization that would allow stable democracy, peace and development. El Salvador must continue to benefit from assistance from the international community. The presence of MINUSAL enabled the United Nations to continue exercising its good offices.

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He said the European Union supported the presence of MINUSAL and agreed with the proposal of the Secretary-General included in the draft resolution to extend MINUSAL for six months with a gradual reduction of its strength and cost. Swifter progress was needed in implementing the peace accords to avoid undermining the peace process. He stressed the importance of carrying out judicial reform, in particular legislative reform required to comply with the recommendations of the Commission of Truth. The increase of delinquency and especially organized crime, was cause for concern. The European Union was providing technical and financial assistance to the National Civil Police.

Vote on Draft Resolution

The following countries joined in sponsoring the draft resolution: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, United Kingdom and Uruguay.

The Assembly then adopted the draft resolution on the situation in Central America without a vote.

Speaking in explanation of vote, RICARDO G. CASTANEDA (El Salvador) said that since 1 May 1995 MINUSAL had been continuing former ONUSAL functions towards the goal of the complete achievement of the peace accords. In October, an agreement was reached between the political parties and other concerned institutions that had made it possible to appoint a director of the new National Civil Police, in accordance with the peace accords. In addition, progress was being made on the programmes of land transfer and of reintegration of the former combatants of both parties into the civil and institutional life of the country. Those actions demonstrated the commitment of the Government of El Salvador to comply with the peace agreements.

The transformation of El Salvador society into one with full respect for human rights would not have been possible without the mediation and good offices of the Secretary-General and the strong support of the United Nations system and the international community. El Salvador was pleased that the Assembly had adopted the draft resolution by consensus. It demonstrated that the international community would continue to support the El Salvador Government.

Statements on Youth

VASSILIS KASKARELIS (Greece) said the problems facing youth transcended international borders. By addressing the concerns, needs and desires of the youth of today, a safer world of tomorrow could be built. Measures should be taken to combat juvenile delinquency, female infanticide, sale of children and their organs, child prostitution, child pornography and all forms of sexual abuse. Policies must be implemented to protect children from being exploited

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for their labour. Youth should be especially protected in priority areas, such as health, education, safe water and sanitation. Special care should be provided to children in war areas, and to rehabilitate children traumatized by war as well as natural disasters. Governmental authorities should strengthen their ties with non-governmental organizations. International instruments designed to protect children must be ratified and implemented.

RICHARD BUTLER (Australia) said youth everywhere must be encouraged to expand their links in international communication and cooperation. Specific problems of youth related to health, employment, drug abuse and delinquency must be addressed. Australia's youth social justice strategy had been introduced to provide a special focus on youth in the Government's broader social justice strategy, which aimed at developing a fairer, more prosperous and just society for all. Given the large proportion of aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people who were young, it was clear that the disadvantages faced by Australia's indigenous population were largely borne by its youth. "The legacy of past injustices is still evident in disturbing indicators of poor health, lower educational and employment status, and disproportionately high rates of incarceration." The Government was comprehensively seeking to address the situation of its indigenous youth through a range of programmes.

PERCIVAL MOFOKENG (South Africa) said that South Africa had declared 16 June as "the day of the youth". It was in celebration of this event that President Mandela had declared the establishment of the President's Children Fund which was a trust fund aiming at providing poverty-stricken and street children with resources to ameliorate their miseries. For the first time in the history of policy-making the South African Government had met with representatives of youth from political organizations, non-governmental organizations and youth clubs. Youth must be involved in the design and implementation of any programme meant for them. The South African Government had targeted youth in its reconstruction programme, and they were involved in the project not only as beneficiaries but also as designers. Cooperation between youth and leaders of government was of paramount importance.

JULI MINOVES-TRIQUELL (Andorra) said it was essential that educational systems throughout the world teach peace and tolerance. If the generations of the third millennium were going to be worthy of the name "human", it was imperative that the United Nations persist in its education efforts, those undertaken by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other organizations. It was also important that youths have the opportunity to use constructively what they had learned. Andorra was very concerned about the problem of unemployment, which was pushing new generations towards poverty, alienation, drugs and crime. There must be dialogue between the generations so that youthful job-seekers did not replace the elderly. It was probably going to be necessary to create flexible working schedules so that workers could share job possibilities.

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MOHAMED JASSIM SAMHAN (United Arab Emirates) said problems faced by developing countries such as hunger, poverty, underdevelopment and insecurity gave rise to juvenile delinquency. Priority must be given to youth, who were the bridge between the succeeding and preceding generations as well as the principal human resource needed for development. Economic and social circumstances in the developing countries had hampered the delivery of services to youth, many of whom had migrated to more developed countries in search of better employment and more dignified living conditions. That trend had only served to widen the gap between the developed and the developing countries. Youth had been exploited for wars, terrorism, drugs and organized crime. It had become imperative to develop a strategy that would assist youth, particularly those in poorer areas. Such a strategy must take account of the cultural and religious conditions and traditional values prevailing in each society.

IRMA E. KLIEN-LOEMBAN TOBING (Suriname) said the elders must involve youth when it comes to the formulation of policies, programmes and decisions regarding them. Suriname was in solidarity with the young people in their desire for full participation, development and peace. The "draft programme of action for youth to the year 2000 and beyond" constituted a sound basis and a good guideline to develop essential activities in diverse areas such as education, health, environment, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency. Suriname appealed to the representatives of donor countries and United Nations donor agencies to provide the necessary contributions and resources so that the youth could fulfil their essential and noble task of peace, democracy and development of all people.

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