UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS CONCLUDES VISIT TO GUATEMALA
Press Release
SG/SM/5885
CA/114
UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS CONCLUDES VISIT TO GUATEMALA
19960129 The following statement was issued by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Marrack Goulding, on Saturday, 27 January 1996, at the conclusion of his visit to Guatemala City:My delegation leaves Guatemala after a successful visit of two days. President Alvaro Arzu took the initiative of inviting the Secretary-General of the United Nations to send me and the moderator of the peace negotiations, Jean Arnault, here during the second week of the President's term of office in order to discuss with him the next steps to be taken in order to bring the Guatemalan peace process to a successful conclusion. The President's decision to invite us at this time confirms his commitment in his inaugural address to advance the peace process as quickly as possible.
During our stay here, we have had the honour of an audience with President Arzu, as well as two long meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eduardo Stein Barillas. We have also had meetings with the Organizing Committee of the Asamblea de la Socieded Civil (CACIF), with the leadership of CACIF and with the representatives in Guatemala City of the countries known as the Friends of the Guatemala Peace Process (Colombia, Mexico, Norway, Spain, United States and Venezuela. We have also met with the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations and the local representatives of various United Nations programmes and agencies.
Our meetings with the Government have enabled us to take stock of the present state of the peace process. The Government has told us of its readiness to explore with the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) steps that could be taken to accelerate progress towards the conclusion of a permanent peace in Guatemala. I have assured President Arzu and my other interlocutors of the Secretary-General's commitment to this objective and of his appreciation of the steps which the President has already taken during his first two weeks in office.
In addition to these discussions with the Government and others, we have reviewed in depth with the Director of the United Nations Human Rights Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA), Leonardo Franco, the activities of that Mission. We have been impressed by the dedication of MINUGUA's staff to the impartial implementation of their tasks and their contribution to the
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common efforts to end 34 years of war in Guatemala. As I said to you on arrival, MINUGUA's presence here is tangible proof that the peace process is producing results and changing things for the better in your country.
We are now leaving for Mexico City and meetings with the leadership of the URNG, who have themselves reiterated publicly their willingness to bring the peace process to a successful conclusion and to be flexible in pursuit of that objective. Mr. Arnault will return to Guatemala City on Monday to participate in a meeting of United Nations programmes and agencies to discuss their future role in helping to implement the eventual peace agreement.
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