SG/SM/5933

ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL ALVARO DE SOTO COMPLETES MISSION TO EL SALVADOR TO ASSESS IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE ACCORDS

21 March 1996


Press Release
SG/SM/5933
CA/117


ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL ALVARO DE SOTO COMPLETES MISSION TO EL SALVADOR TO ASSESS IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE ACCORDS

19960321 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali:

The Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Alvaro de Soto, travelled to El Salvador from 18 to 20 March, at the request of President Calderón Sol, to assess the state of implementation of the peace accords in advance of the expiration of the current mandate of the Mission of the United Nations in El Salvador (MINUSAL) on 30 April 1996. This is the third such visit made by Mr. de Soto in recent months in an effort to accelerate compliance with the outstanding elements in the accords.

While in El Salvador, Mr. de Soto held meetings with the President and his advisers, the Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN), and other key political actors. The President reaffirmed his Government's commitment to completing implementation of those areas still outstanding in the peace accords. These include constitutional and legislative reform, the land transfer programme and the issue of rural human settlements. The reform of the administration of justice is proceeding exceedingly slowly, and problems also remain within the public security sector. While all efforts will be made to complete the accords before 30 April, the President acknowledged that there would be elements still pending in some of these areas at that time and reiterated his commitment to full compliance.

Mr. de Soto reiterated the United Nations' commitment to verify the full implementation of the peace accords. He will be reporting on his mission to the Secretary-General, who will submit a report on the activities of MINUSAL to the General Assembly in early April.

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For information media. Not an official record.