Fifty-fourth session
Agenda item 47
The situation in Central America: procedures for the establishment of
a firm and lasting peace and progress in fashioning a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development
United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala
Report of the Secretary-General
1. This is the fourth report on the verification of compliance with the Peace Agreements signed by the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG), submitted pursuant to the mandate given to the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) by the General Assembly in resolution 51/198 B of 27 March 1997. This mandate was extended until 31 December 1999 by resolution 53/93 of 7 December 1998, in which the General Assembly repeated its request to keep it fully informed. This report covers the period from 1 August 1998 to 31 August 1999.
I. Introduction
2. The implementation of the commitments entered into by the Government and URNG is governed by the Agreement on the Implementation, Compliance and Verification Timetable for the Peace Agreements (A/51/796-S/1997/114, annex I), which divides the period 1997-2000 into three phases. The Commission to Follow up the Implementation of the Peace Agreements, which is the body authorized to make the necessary adjustments to the schedule for compliance with the Agreements, established seven priorities for 1999 at the beginning of the year: the commitments to give sustainability to the reconstruction effort undertaken in the wake of hurricane Mitch;* the preparation of various legislative bills related to the constitutional reform adopted by the Congress in October 1998; fiscal matters, rural development, compensation, civic participation and coordination and consultation, including monitoring of the work of the commissions set up under the Peace Agreements. This report reflects these priorities.
3. The period covered by this report coincides with the last year in office of the Government of President Álvaro Arzú, the signatory of most of the Peace Agreements, and with the period leading up to the general elections scheduled for 7 November 1999. In the light of these circumstances, I have deemed it helpful to include not only the verification results for the reporting period but also general conclusions on compliance with each Agreement and recommendations on the outstanding peace agenda, which it will fall to the next Government to implement. This report also gives us an opportunity to express appreciation for the constant support of Member States, the cooperation extended by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system and the important contribution to the work of MINUGUA made by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. I am also grateful to the Inter-American Development Bank for the part it has played in the promotion of peace, in particular by convening consultative groups on Guatemala.
II. Implementation of the Peace Agreements
A. Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights
4. As in the case of earlier reports, the focus here is on aspects of the Comprehensive Agreement (A/48/928-S/1994/448, annex I) which are subject to the Timetable Agreement, including a programme of compensation for and/or assistance to the victims of human rights violations. Pursuant to the Peace Agreements, the compensation policy conducted by the Peace Secretariat (SEPAZ), as established by the National Reconciliation Act of December 1996, must take into consideration the recommendations of the Clarification Commission.