S/PV.3223 Security Council

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 in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador, documents S/25812 and Add.1 and 2, Members of the Council also have before them document S/25851, which contains the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council's prior consultations. It is my understanding that the Security Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. If I hear no objection, I shall take it that that is the case. There being no objection, it is so decided. Before putting the draft resolution to the vote, I shall call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting. Mr YfiEZ BARNUEVO (Spain) (interpretation from Spanish): First, I ,should like to express my delegation's appreciation to the Secretary?General for the report he submitted to us in document s/25812. The report, in our opinion, deserves special praise not only for its accuracy and its attention to details on all aspects Of operations carried out by the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL) but also for its balanced and accurate description of the evolution of the process of implementing the agreements signed by the Government of El Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberation National (FMLN). We fully agree with the Secretary-General's assessment and, like him, we welcome the facts that the cease-fire agreement has been respected in the 16 months in which it has been in effect, that significant progress has been made towards full compliance with the other agreements, and that both the Government of El Salvador and the FMLN have shown their desire and determination to resolve El Salvador's problems peacefully and democratically. The main credit goes undoubtedly to the two parties, the entire Salvadorian people, and the political and social forces representing them. At the same time, we should pay a tribute to the work accomplished by GNUSAL. In this connection, we should like to stress the role of the former head of ORUSAL, Mr. Riza, and of the Chief of the Military Division, General Suanzes, whose mission is coming to an end. On this occasion, we cannot fail to refer to the problems remaining on the path to national reconciliation in El Salvador that are described in the Secretary-General's report. My Government believes that it is of the utmost importance for us to forge ahead with the transfer of land programme, the reintegration of the former combatants and war-wounded into civil society, the deployment of the new National Civil Police - to the creation and maintenance of which my country is contributing - and thus the gradual dissolution Of the existing National Police, as well as towards full compliance with the recommendations made by the Ad HOC Commission on the purification of the armed forces and the Commission on the Truth. On the whole, the peace process in El Salvador has a distinctly positive outlook. The fact that, at a time of serious difficulties for other United Nations operations elsewhere in the world, ONUSAL can be cited as a model of a successful United Nations operation is a source of special satisfaction to my country, which has spared no effort to contribute to peace and national reconciliation in El Salvador. In this context, and without overemphasising the importance of Spain's participation in ONUSAL, we should like to reiterate the willingness of the Spanish Government to continue, to the fullest extent of its ability, to contribute to this operation until all its objectives are attained. The holding of general elections in El Salvador in March 1994 will surely be the culmination of the entire peace process. As the Secretary-General points out in his report, only when the Salvadorian people has been able to elect their President, their representatives in the National Assembly and their mayors in free, clean and internationally observed elections will peace - and democracy - have been consolidated in El Salvador. For this reason, we believe that the draft resolution before the Security Council - which, we trust, will be adopted unanimously - is of special importance. We support the recommendation of the Secretary-General that, in extending ONUSAL's mandate, we should give ONUSAL an electoral.division. ,The supervision of the electoral process that will culminate in the national elections must be included in ONUSAL's mandate, which is to be extended until 30 November 1993, and then reviewed in the light of the recommendations to be submitted by the Secretary-General, so that the United Nations can closely follow and assist the entire process until after the elections of March 1994. The coming months will, therefore, be decisive for progress towards fulfillment of the undertakings made by the parties in the Accords. We therefore call on the Salvadorian people, their Government and all political and social forces in El Salvador to act with the greatest restraint and in the most constructive spirit in order to bring the process of national reconciliation to a successful conclusion. 111 this case, what we are involved in is what the Secretary-General, in his Agenda for Peace, so rightly terms "post-conflict peace-building", which involves the strengthening of governmental institutions, national reconstruction and, in a word, all efforts to leave confrontation and its after-effects behind. This requires not only commitment by the parties concerned, but also the active and continuing assistance of the international community. In this respect, we should like to reaffirm the willingness of the Spanish Government to continue supporting, both individually and collectively with other countries that are friends of the Secretary-General, efforts to ensure full compliance with the Accords and the consolidation of peace in El Salvador.

I now put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document S/25851. J&. A W In favour: Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Djibouti, France, Hungary, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Spain, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Venezuela

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 832 (1993). I shall now call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting. Mrs. ALBRIGHT (United States of America): The growth of democracy enhances the security of us all. The United States therefore strongly supports the resolution just adopted by the Council, which extends ONUSAL's mandate and expands it to include supervision of the upcoming elections in El Salvador. Our common goal is a just, stable and democractic El Salvador. We appreciate the skillful efforts of the Secretary-General, his staff and the personnel of ONUSAL to make that goal a reality. We also note the important role played by the group of friends of the Secretary-General: Colombia, Mexico, Spain and Venezuela. However, it is the people of El Salvador and the leaders on both sides who have made the peace process really work. We especially acknowledge the vision and courage of President Cristiani, whose leadership continues to be essential to the peace process and to national reconciliation. While a great deal has been accomplished in El Salvador, more remains to be done. The United States urges both sides to implement fully their respective obligations under the Accords. My Governmept is committed to. assisting this implementation process, In this regard, we note the importance Of full compliance with those provisions regarding the proper disposition of weapons. The Salvadorian people have given an example to the world by their ability to forge peace and preserve and strengthen democracy after the fearsome trial of war. Now that war no longer rages, the international community must not forget El Salvador. We reaffirm our pledge and call upon others to pledge assistance to help the people of El Salvador to consolidate the peace they have created. Mr. MERIMEE (Fran?e) (interpretation from French): Our Council has just adopted, unanimously, resolution 832 (1993), which extends the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL) for six additional months and to broaden that mandate to include the supervision of the elections that are to be held in El Salvador in March next year. Those elections, as is emphasiaed by the Secretary-General in the report he has submitted to us on the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador, will probably represent the culmination of the whole peace process. My delegation welcomes the fact that it is now possible to imagine a completely democratic ending to the armed conflict that has bathed El Salvador in blood for over 10 years now. This outcome can be attributed mainly to the cooperation of the parties concerned. It also has to do with the exemplary work ONUSAL has carried out in the field. We have noted that the peace Accord signed at Mexico on 16 January 1992 is continuing to be implemented. Two of its main objectives have been successully completed: the cease-fire that made it possible to put an official end to the armed conflict on 15 December last, and the transformation of the FMLN into a political party. Other important objectives are als<l being achieved. The parties must continue their efforts so that the peace process becomes truly irreversible. Specifically, if the elections are to be held in a favourable atmosphere, it is vital that a number of measures are carried out in full and as quickly as possible. These relate, first and foremost, to speeding up the land transfer programme, which should make it possible for the former combatants to rejoin civilian life, and also for order to be kept, particularly by the progressive replacement of the national police force by the new police force that is now being established and by completing the programme to destroy weapons. Lastly, it is essential that the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Commission and the Commission on the Truth be implemented. In conclusion, that is why my delegation calls on the parties to continue to cooperate in order to ensure that the peace Agreement leads to total success, that is, to the restoration of democracy, which alone is capable of ensuring the root-and-branch reunification of Salvadorian society. a member of the so-called Group of Friends of the Secretary-General, with Spain, Colombia, Mexico and the United States, welcomed the Secretary-General's report, which underlies the resolution we have unanimously adopted and extends the United Nations cooperation until the electoral process is completed in March of 1994, On this occasion another important stage towards reconciliation and national conciliation of the Salvadorian people is being completed. Yet, a great deal remains to be done. We will need the full cooperation of the parties and their compliance with the political, economic, social and legal aspects of the commitments assumed under the Peace Accords. In that regard, , the Salvadorian Government must obviously bear a major responsibility. Without compliance with these commitments, which have been clearly set forth in operative paragraph 6 of the resolution, it will not be possible to lay the basis for a process of genuine reconciliation. Here, we must be clear, just as we must be ready to cooperate and give our cooperation as we have been doing over the past many years. $1 Salvador provides an extraordinary example of what a mixture of good will on the part of the parties and the systematic, tireless support of the international community can achieve. We cannot abandon this cause, which is. so close to our peace-keeping agenda. Peace in El Salvador depends on having the means with which to reactivate the country's development. In this connection, whatever efforts the Salvadorians might make to rebuild their small country, which has suffered enormous destruction, they will need the generous support of friendly countries and international organisations. The people of El Salvador have a well-earned reputation as being hard workers, so we are convinced that all outside cooperation will be put to very good use. Although the elections in March of 1994 represent the end of a national and international effort to bring peace to El Salvador, they are just the beginning of the much greater challenge facing the Salvadorians, which is to learn to live together in a new society, to repair and rebuild, and to make up for so much painfully lost time. The response to these major challenges can be provided only by Salvadorians themselves.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the Russian Federation. The delegation of the Russian Federation would like to express its gratitude to the Secretary-General for having presented a very thorough report on the activities of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador. We are very pleased, and note with some optimism, that the process of establishing peace in El Salvador has made considerable progress and, on the whole, is developing successfully by way of uniting Salvadorian society and making it more democratic with full respect for human rights and establishing civilian control over armed forces. It is important that the Government of El Salvador itself and the Farabundo Marti Front should accurately and fully carry out their obligations under the Peace Accords, including the transfer of land, the social reintegration of ex-combatants, and the creation of a national civilian police force, among other things. We would like to express our gratification that the Secretary-General has confirmed that the implementation of the recommendations of the ad hoc Committee on the "purification" of the armed forces will soon be complete. Our delegation agrees that the United Nations is intended to play an active part in the successful development of the process of preparing for and holding the elections in 1994, which should represent the culmination of the entire peace process, and we call upon the Government of Mr. Cristiani and the leadership of the Farabundo Marti Front to continue, with in a full sense of responsibility, to carry out this final stage of national reconciliation and, at the same time, display the necessary restraint. Russia highly commends the consistent peace-making efforts which are being made by the Secretary-General: we intend to continue to help promote the resolution of specific issues related to the final unsnarling of this knot of tension. Russia is prepared to cooperate closely with other concerned States, as well as with the Government of El Salvador and the leadership of the Farabundo Marti Front. I now resume my duties as President of the Security Council. There being no further speakers, the Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meetina rose at 5.55 D-m.