GUATEMALAN CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN OSLO, NORWAY
Press Release
SG/SM/6119
CA/124
GUATEMALAN CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN OSLO, NORWAY
19961204 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali:At 1 p.m. today local time in Oslo, Norway, the delegations of the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) signed the "Agreement on the Definitive Cease-fire". The ceremony took place in the City Hall of Oslo in the presence of the Foreign Minister of Norway, Bjorn Tore Godal, representatives of the countries which are members of the Group of Friends of the Guatemala Peace Process, officials of the United Nations, and the diplomatic corps. The Agreement was signed on behalf of the United Nations by the moderator of the peace negotiations, Jean Arnault.
The Agreement signed today established procedures for the separation of forces between the Guatemalan Army and the units of the URNG, and the demobilization and disarming of the latter. The cease-fire process is to last two months. The two parties requested the United Nations to deploy military personnel to verify implementation 1of the Agreement. The Agreement will enter into force together with the final peace agreement, scheduled to be signed on 29 December 1996 in Guatemala City. The cease-fire process will begin soon thereafter, once the United Nations Verification Mission is deployed in Guatemala.
The Secretary-General congratulates both parties on this new achievement and will soon submit to Member States his recommendations regarding United Nations verification of the Agreement.
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