S/PV.3129 Security Council

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached iv its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/24731, which contains the tezt of a letter dated 28 October 1992 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council. Members also have before them documents $/24737, containing the text of a draft resolution which was prepared in the course of the Council's prior consultations, and document S/24688, co taining the text of a letter dated 19 October 1992 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council. It is my understanding that the Council is ready te proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. Unless I hear any objection, I shall put the draft resolution (S/24737) to the vote now. There being no objection, it ia so decided. & vote was token by show of hands. In favour: Austria, Belgium, Cape Verde, China, Ecuador, France, Hungary, India, Japan, Morocco, Russian Federation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has therefore been adopted unanimously as resolution 784 (1992). I shall now call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the voting.

Mr. ARRIA (Venezvela) (interpretation from Spanish): Permit me first of ail to congratulate you, Sir, on your outstanding guidance of the Council's proceedings during this month, in which there have been so many difficult negotiations. The resolution just adopted by the Council supports the Secretary-General's recommendation to extend the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL) for a period of 30 days in the context mentioned by the Secretary-General in his letters dated 19 and 28 October 1992. In this regard, I wish to make a few observations. The peace agreements on El Salvador constitute a series of interrelated commitments which both Parties have undertaken, compliance with which is aimed at ensuring that the Salvadorian nation can finally enjoy lasting civil peace on the basis of national reconciliation. These agreements put an end to a long and cruel conflict by providing mutually agreed solutions to the most serious problems of Salvadorian society. As such, they are admirable examples of what is possible when a passion for peace prevails and animosity is overcome. As such, they deserve our unreserved support and perseverance, especially now when they are encountering perhaps the most delicate circunstances. The cessation of the armed conflict as a critical stage in the peace process should soon be completed. Very significant progress has heen made in creating the conditions to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion, but it has not ended as we would have wished, and as had been foreseen. Efforts of all kinds have had to be made by all sides to achieve progress towards this objective. We value this steadfastness, for it is a reaffirmation of our belief in the political maturity of the parties and of their capacity and political will to live up to the commitments they have entered into among themselves and with the international community, which has endorsed and supported their efforts. Today we are definitively reiterating our confidence in the capacity of Salvadorian leaders to ensure the future of their people. Together with Colombia, Spain and Mexico, Venezuela has given its assistance in the delicate tasks of guaranteeing the agreements entered into by the Secretary-General. As Friends of the Secretary-General, together with the United States of America, we can today testify to his endeavours to lend continuity to the complex and ambitious process initiated by his predecessor Secretary-General Javier Peres de Cueliar, and to his firm and constructive role in successfully bringing to a conclusion the process of peace and national reconciliation in El Salvador. Thanks to the admirable mediation of the Secretary-General and his esteemed assistants, we are today in the process of overcoming the innumerable difficulties, and this will make it possible to conclude the process on 15 December 1992. We unreservedly support the efforts of the Secretary-General and, as operative paragraph 3 of the resolution states, we urge both parties to respect scrupulously and to implement in good faith the commitments assumed by them under the agreements signed on i6 Januaiy 2532 at Mexics respond positively to the Secretary-General's latest proposals to them aimed at overcoming the current difficulties. However, I consider it important to emphasize that we understand these proposals to be practical and realistic responses and not a renegotiation of the agreements. Both parties must continue to show prudence and to remain steadfast at this stage. The Council will no doubt continue to follow the Salvadorian peace process closely and remain committed te it. The renewal of the mandste of ONUSAL until 30 November 1992 is an expression of this commitment, a8 well as of the advisability of accelerating the implementation of the agreed commitments. The Government of El Salvador, headed by Mr. Alfredo Cristiani, and the leadership of the FMLN must continue to honour the historic responsibility they undertook in the Castle of Chapultepec in Mexico City on 16 January this year. We trust in their commitment to peace and national reconciliation for their people. We urge them both today to maintain their endeavours to make this commitment a reality. The international community has been supporting them in this noble and essential purpose, but responsibility now lies entirely with them,

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Venezuela for his kind words addressed to me.

Mr. AYALA LASSO (Ecuador) (interpretation from Spanish): Mr. President, I wish to endorse the remarks of the representative of Venezuela when he referred to your excellent guidance of the Council this month, The bloody conflict in El Salvador was on the front pages of newspapers for a decade. To the deaths of men, women and children as a result of war must be added the thousands of refugees and orphans; violations of the most basic rights; millions of dollars' worth of economic damage ~ those are the tragic consequences of the conflict. The recent macabre findings at Mozote recall the tragedy experience in El Salvador. These paintul memories help us understand the benefits of peace; help us nurture it and work for its permanent restoration in E1 Salvado-, The United Nations has played a unique role in building peace in El Salvador, a complex process which will only end when the commitments entered into by the parties freely and formally before the people of El Salvador and the community of nations are carried out. Unlive other congiicce which have heen hero Council, in this case the people of El Salvador should be proud of having fully respected the cessation of hostilities. This fact gives rise to optimism and confidence that the difficulties encountered in complying with other aspects of the peace agreements will be rapidly overcome by peaceful means. Experience has shown that no peace agreement succeeds witnout encountering some difficulty along the way. This observation should not lead to discouragement. On the contrary, it highlights the need for the spirit of conciliation with which an agreement is entered into to prevail throughout its implementation and to help bring about through dialogue agreement on overcoming any such difciculty. The United Nations, in promoting the peace agreements on El Salvador, has had to facilitate this dialogue between the parties. Its impartiality in the conflict has made it possible for it to present objective proposals which have gained the approval of the parties. Hence, Ecuador welcomes the Secretary-General's initiative to send Messrs. Goulding and de Soto once again to El Salvador. We are certain that their impartiality and familiarity with the details of the situation in El Salvador will ensure the success of their mission. We urge our Salvadorian brothers to cooperate with the Secretary-General and with Messrs. Goulding and de Soto. It would have been best for the peace agreements to have been complied with in accordance with the original schedule, but given the difficulties encountered, it is obvious that what has been achieved so far in bringing peace to the country should not be jeopardized. A short and specific extension of the time-frame, if it serves the purpose of reactivating the peace process and is supported with good will by the parties, could be very positive. Ultimately, a few weeks' delay is worthwhile if success follows; and this ia really very little time when compared with the long tragic years of the Salvadorian conflict. The rescheduling may entail more expense for the United Nations, but peace has no price and what is invested in peace is, in any case, infinitely less than what has been or would be invested in war. We appeal to the international community to lend its fullest cooperation to the Government of El Salvador to obtain the necessary funds to finance the land programme, one of the pillars of the peace plan. Ecuador supports the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (UNOSAL) and favours the United Nations continuing its work in El Salvador for the time needed to bring about the full implementation of the peace agreements, in accordance with the Secretary-General's recommendations. Finally, we await the Secretary-Genersal's report to us on the progress achieved in the negotiations, in the implementation of the peace plan, and on the requirements of UNOSAL, so that there will be total success at the end of his peace sicsion in E1 Salvador.

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Ecuador for his kind words addressed to me. There are ro further speakers inscribed on my list, The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.