PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA

26 September 1996

Press Briefing

19960926 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

At a Headquarters press conference this afternoon, President Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen of Guatemala told correspondents that Guatemalans were fast approaching the signing of the final agreement towards a "firm and lasting peace". That agreement would end Guatemala's 36-year armed conflict -- the longest in the Latin American region.

Guatemala was now moving into a positive phase which involved tremendous commitments and opened up excellent opportunities for the country, he said. Such opportunities would be grasped by the enthusiasm and hard work of Guatemalans. Simultaneously, the Group of Friends of the Guatemalan Peace Process (Colombia, Mexico, Norway, Spain, United States and Venezuela) and the international community had an important role to play.

President Arzu thanked the international media for keeping the world abreast of the tremendous efforts being made by Guatemalans to achieve peace and begin the development process in the country. During the past few months, the role of the international media had been very important in covering the transparency of the agreements and the latest phase of the process, he stressed.

A correspondent asked if the President foresaw any problems with the army or political forces in the enforcement of a peace agreement. Mr. Arzu said that he did not foresee such problems. However, it was important to note that the path towards the final peace had created tremendous expectations among Guatemalans for development in the country. If those widespread expectations were not met, they could lead to frustrations over time. There was need for caution. The Guatemalan Government had therefore found it necessary to appeal to the international community for support.

Complying with a peace agreement would be, perhaps, the most difficult phase, he continued. However, the solidarity of the Group of Friends would be taking concrete form in the negotiations and in the development of projects for providing assistance and credits through multilateral bodies. Such support would assist Guatemala in coping with the adverse effects of many years of conflict that had also been disastrous for its infrastructure. On the other hand, Guatemalans must make their own contribution and improve on their fiscal policies. He added: "Development was not the task solely of the Government. It is a challenge for all Guatemalans."

Asked if he had an estimate of what it would cost to reactivate the Guatemalan economy and what would be the priorities for the allocation of funds, the President said that such costs were difficult to quantify. During

the period of negotiations, the Guatemalan Government had made progress in implementing the agreements signed so far, especially in the social field, encompassing health, education and the building of basic infrastructure for villages. The Government had not waited for peace to begin the reconstruction process. At the same time, specific units of the Government had been working on the development of projects to be submitted to a consultative group that would be meeting in November. At that time, initial projections would be worked out. Emphasis would be given to social investment which had been "on the back burner" for a long time.

The President was then asked what he had meant in his statement in the Assembly yesterday when he said that the Guatemalan conflict had been fanned by external forces, as well as internal forces. He said it was no secret that Central America had been a victim of the cold war that had beset the entire region. It was also a product of socio-economic injustices. External forces alone could not be blamed for the causes of Guatemala's problems. The country must engage in an exhaustive self-examination process, a mea culpa. Guatemalans must realize that they had delayed meeting their commitments to alleviating poverty in their country, and that had contributed to the conflict. That situation existed in much of the Central American region.

In the present period of "hot peace", Guatemala was now vigorously facing up to the major problems of corruption, high illiteracy rates, infant mortality and a range of health problems, President Arzu said. Guatemala and the rest of Central America had to address such problems with the support of the international community.

In response to a question about the United Nations role after the signing of the final agreement, the President said that the Organization had given tremendous support to Guatemala through the United Nations Human Rights Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA). The Mission had monitored developments in the field of human rights and the applicability and implementation of the agreements signed between the Guatemalan Government and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG). Guatemalans were also particularly grateful to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which had made tremendous contributions in the fields of education and health.

The URNG had made a tremendous commitment to rejoin political life and the electoral process, he said. Therefore, monitoring the peace process would not be as costly nor would it need to be as intensive as in other countries, given the mature approach of both parties to the peace process.

The correspondent asked further if MINUGUA would leave Guatemala. President Arzu said its work would now be forward-looking. The lack of conflict during the past six months, which had been a very positive development, and the peace would proceed on track. To another question, he said that there had been a high degree of support for the negotiating process.

Guatemala Press Conference - 3 - 26 September 1996

Although some organized groups had posed some problems, they had achieved little success. In general, the citizens and organized groups had supported the peace process.

Questioned about the ways in which his Government was combating impunity, the President said that impunity was already ceasing to be a major problem since his Government had faced up to it. It had been addressed in the elections campaign. It was clear that "I burned my bridges the day after my inauguration", in January. "The fight against impunity, corruption and crime was a fight to the death. There will be no turning back." Any persons who committed such acts would pay for them regardless of who they were.

A correspondent asked about the Government's plans for the equitable distribution of wealth in connection with the country's indigenous people. President Arzu said that all such plans were contained in the negotiated agreements. The Agreement on Social and Economic Aspects and the Agrarian Situation, which was signed on 6 May, had laid clear foundations for socio- economic development. It contained all the parameters for development in that field. He reiterated that much action had already been taken in that area.

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