AGREEMENT ON STRENGTHENING CIVILIAN POWER IN GUATEMALA TO BE SIGNED AT CEREMONY IN MEXICO CITY
Press Release
SG/SM/6059
CA/122
AGREEMENT ON STRENGTHENING CIVILIAN POWER IN GUATEMALA TO BE SIGNED AT CEREMONY IN MEXICO CITY
19960919 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali:At 1 p.m. today, Mexico time, the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) will sign the Agreement on Strengthening of Civilian Power and Role of the Army in a Democratic Society. The ceremony will take place at the Mexican Foreign Ministry in Mexico City, with the participation of the Mexican Secretary for External Relations, Angel Gurría, officials from the United Nations and the countries belonging to the Group of Friends of the Guatemalan Peace Process (Colombia, Mexico, Norway, Spain, United States and Venezuela), and representatives of the Guatemalan Government and sectors of society, among others. The Agreement will be signed on behalf of the United Nations by the moderator of the peace negotiations, Jean Arnault.
Following the signing of the Agreement on Social and Economic Aspects and Agrarian Situation on 6 May 1996, the conclusion of this agreement is another major step towards the signing of a final peace agreement. Based on the parties' recognition that the end of the war offers an historic opportunity to overhaul, strengthen and further democratize Guatemalan institutions, the agreement provides for several significant reforms to be carried out in such sensitive areas as the administration of justice, the police, the army and intelligence services. In particular, under a reformed Constitution limiting the Army's role to external defence, the Government will carry out a redefinition of miliary doctrine, education and deployment. In addition, the agreement provides for a 33 per cent reduction in troop strength in 1997 and a 33 per cent reduction in the Army's budget by 1999.
Following the conclusion of this agreement, the Government of Guatemala and the URNG will begin consideration of the next issues on their agenda, namely, "Bases for the reintegration of the URNG into the political life of Guatemala" and "Definitive cease-fire". The Secretary-General congratulates the parties on their achievement and pledges his continued support to the two parties in fulfilling their pledge to conclude the negotiating process in the course of this year.
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