The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and its own
resolutions, particularly resolutions 49/137 of 19 December 1994 and 50/132 of
20 December 1995, in which it recognized the importance of international
support for Central America, within an appropriate global frame of reference,
in order to preserve and extend the progress made in the process of
consolidating peace, democracy and sustainable development and thereby to
overcome the obstacles that are preventing Central America from becoming a
region of peace, freedom, democracy and sustainable development,
 
      Recognizing the importance and validity of the commitments made by the
Central American Presidents since the Esquipulas II summit meeting of 7 August
1987, and their subsequent summit meetings,
 
      Reaffirming that there can be no peace in Central America without
sustainable development or democracy, which are essential for ensuring the
process of change in the region, and recognizing the importance of settling
differences by means of dialogue, negotiation and respect for the legitimate
interests of all States, with full respect for the principles of
self-determination and non-intervention,
 
      Drawing attention to the establishment at the Summit Meeting of Central
American Presidents held at Gu cimo, Costa Rica, from 18 to 20 August 1994,
and adopted at the Central American Environment Summit for Sustainable
Development, held at Managua on 12 and 13 October 1994, of the Alliance for
the Sustainable Development of Central America, which constitutes the new
integrated strategy for development, and the importance of the International
Conference on Peace and Development in Central America, held at Tegucigalpa on
24 and 25 October 1994, that marked a major turning point in the course taken
by the region, as well as the Treaty on Central American Social Integration,
adopted at the El Salvador summit meeting on 30 March 1995, one of whose main
objectives is to strengthen the investment in human capital,
 
      Welcoming the Framework Treaty on Democratic Security in Central
America, adopted at the summit meeting held at San Pedro Sula, Honduras, from
13 to 15 December 1995, that reaffirms, inter alia, the strengthening of civil
society, the security of individuals and the elimination of poverty, and
recognizing the importance for Central America of the Regional Programme of
Action for the Development of Tourism, adopted at the summit meeting held at
Montelimar, Nicaragua, on 8 and 9 May 1996,
 
      Emphasizing the importance of cooperation and international solidarity
in supporting the efforts being made by the peoples and Governments of Central
America for the consolidation of a firm and lasting peace, and the need to
strengthen the new programme of cooperation and economic, technical and
financial assistance for Central America in the light of the new situation in
the region,
 
      Welcoming the role played by the peacekeeping operations and observer
and monitoring missions of the United Nations, which carried out successfully
their mandate in Central America pursuant to the relevant resolutions of the
Security Council and the General Assembly, respectively,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 48/267 of 19 September 1994, 49/236 A of 31
March 1995, 49/236 B of 14 September 1995 and 50/220 of 3 April 1996, by which
it decided to establish the United Nations Mission for the Verification of
Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the Comprehensive
Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala and extended the mandate of the
Mission, 
 
      Recognizing the commitment of the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad
Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca to continue the negotiations in the
framework of the Guatemalan peace process, as well as to support the presence
of United Nations Mission for the Verification of Human Rights in Guatemala,
 
      Welcoming the signing of the Agreement on Social and Economic Aspects
and Agrarian Situation at Mexico City on 6 May 1996, and the joint statement
of the Peace Commission of the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad
Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca, issued on 6 August 1996,
 
      Also welcoming the signing of the Agreement on the Strengthening of
Civilian Power and on the Role of the Armed Forces in a Democratic Society at
Mexico City on 19 September 1996, and the statements of the Government of
Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca of 7 November
1996, which are a positive contribution to the peace process in Guatemala,
 
      Further welcoming resolution 50/226 of 10 May 1996, by which the General
Assembly established the United Nations Office of Verification in El Salvador
as a mechanism that would combine regular visits by a high-level envoy from
Headquarters with a small group of experts in the field,
 
      Stressing the efforts being made by the people and Government of El
Salvador to consolidate the progress made towards a society characterized by
democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, and to honour its
commitments under the Peace Agreement, for the benefit of all Salvadorans,
 
      Recognizing the approval by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador on
31 July 1996 of a package of constitutional reforms recommended by the
Commission on the Truth, as well as the adoption of the Police Career Law,
 
      Recognizing that the efforts of the Government of Nicaragua to
consolidate peace and democracy, repair its economy and rebuild the nation
merit the urgent support of the international community and the United Nations
system in order to preserve the gains made and overcome the effects of the war
and natural disasters which persist in Nicaragua,
 
      Welcoming the adoption of resolutions 49/16 of 17 November 1994 and 51/8
of 25 October 1996, in which it recognized the exceptional circumstances that
still prevail in Nicaragua,
 
      Recognizing the importance of the effective support of the United
Nations and governmental and non-governmental mechanisms in taking steps to
launch new initiatives in the framework of the Alliance for the Sustainable
Development of Central America, and of the results of the inter-agency
workshop held at Montelimar on 19 March 1996, which aimed to establish a
strategic alliance between all agencies of the United Nations system working
in the region,
 
      Stressing the importance of promoting national debates on the character
of macroeconomic policies most conducive to sustainable human development
goals and to a lasting peace in Central America, as well as the ongoing policy
dialogue carried out in this regard by the Economic Commission for Latin
America and the Caribbean,
 
      Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General,
 
      1.    Commends the efforts of the peoples and Governments of the Central
American countries to consolidate peace and promote sustainable development by
implementing the agreements adopted at the summit meetings, and requests the
Secretary-General to continue to give the fullest possible support to the
initiatives and activities of the Governments of the Central American
countries;
 
      2.    Supports the decision of the Presidents of the Central American
countries to declare Central America a region of peace, freedom, democracy and
development, and encourages the initiatives of the Central American countries,
in the framework of the integrated strategy for sustainable development and in
the context of the summit meetings, to consolidate Governments that base their
development on democracy, peace, cooperation and respect for human rights;
 
      3.    Draws attention to the decision of the Presidents of the Central
American countries embodied in the Declaration of Gu cimo, in which the
national and regional strategy known as the Alliance for the Sustainable
Development of Central America became an integrated initiative reflected in a
programme of immediate action in the political, moral, economic, social and
environmental fields, through which the Central American countries hope to
become, with the support of the international community, an example of
sustainable development for other regions;
 
      4.    Emphasizes the work accomplished by the Central American
Integration System in favour of subregional integration to promote economic
growth oriented towards human development and in the strengthening of
democracy and the consolidation of peace in the region, and calls upon Member
States and international organizations to provide effective cooperation for
the strengthening of subregional integration;
 
      5.    Supports the adoption of the Framework Treaty on Democratic
Security in Central America concerning the supremacy and strengthening of the
power of civil society, a reasonable balance of forces, the security of
individuals and of their property, the alleviation of poverty, the promotion
of sustainable development, the protection of the environment, the eradication
of violence, corruption, impunity, terrorism and trafficking in drugs and
arms, and the increased channelling of resources into social investments;
 
      6.    Welcomes the agreement reached on 11 November 1996 by the
Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca to
conclude their negotiations, with a view to finalizing and signing a firm and
lasting peace agreement in Guatemala on 29 December 1996, thus completing the
peace process in Central America, and, in this context, encourages both
parties to undertake all necessary measures to achieve this objective;
 
      7.    Also welcomes the adoption of the Agreement on Social and Economic
Aspects and Agrarian Situation, the joint statement of the Peace Commission of
the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional
Guatemalteca and the Agreement on the Strengthening of Civilian Power and on
the Role of the Armed Forces in a Democratic Society, as well as the
statements of the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria
Nacional Guatemalteca of 7 November 1996, which are a positive contribution to
the peace process in Guatemala;
 
      8.    Recognizes the commitment of the Government and civil society of
Guatemala to advance in the fight against impunity and towards the
consolidation of the rule of law;
 
      9.    Calls upon the parties to comply fully with their commitments
under all the agreements reached between them and to implement the
corresponding recommendations of the United Nations Mission for the
Verification of Human Rights in Guatemala;
 
      10.   Requests the Secretary-General, the organizations of the United
Nations system and the international community to continue their support for
the peace process and hence for efforts to promote national reconciliation,
democracy and development in Guatemala, and reiterates its appreciation of the
peace efforts of the Secretary-General, the Group of Friends (Colombia,
Mexico, Norway, Spain, the United States of America and Venezuela), as well as
its appreciation of the contribution of the Assembly of Civil Society and
other Guatemalans within the constitutional framework and the peace
agreements;
 
      11.   Calls upon the Government of El Salvador and all the political
forces involved in the peace process to make all possible efforts to complete
the implementation of all remaining aspects of the Peace Agreement;
 
      12.   Welcomes the establishment of the United Nations Office of
Verification in El Salvador as a mechanism that combined regular visits by a
high-level envoy from Headquarters with a small group of experts in the field
that efficiently verified the progress of the implementation of all remaining
aspects of the Peace Agreement in El Salvador;
 
      13.   Reiterates its recognition of the effective participation of the
Secretary-General and his representatives and encourages them to continue to
take all necessary steps to ensure the successful implementation of all the
commitments made by the parties to the Peace Agreement in El Salvador;
 
      14.   Recognizes the achievements made by the people and Government of
Nicaragua in their efforts to consolidate peace, democracy and reconciliation
among Nicaraguans, as well as the importance of political, economic and social
consultation among all sectors of the country, so as to continue with the
country's reconstruction, the renegotiation and reduction of the external
debt, as well as the economic recovery and social development of the country;
 
      15.   Welcomes with satisfaction the peaceful electoral process held in
Nicaragua on 20 October 1996, and its importance as a further step towards the
strengthening of democracy, peace, development and reconstruction in that
country; 
 
      16.   Supports the treatment accorded to Nicaragua in the light of its
continuing exceptional circumstances, so that the international community and
financial institutions can incorporate that treatment into programmes to
support the country's economic recovery and social reconstruction;
 
      17.   Expresses its appreciation of the work of the support group for
Nicaragua (Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden), which, under
the coordination of the Secretary-General, is playing an active role in
supporting the country's efforts towards economic recovery and social
development, particularly with regard to solving the external debt problem and
securing investments and new resources that will allow the country's economic
and social programmes to continue towards national reconciliation, and
requests the Secretary-General to continue to support those efforts;
 
      18.   Emphasizes the importance of the current political dialogue and
economic cooperation between the European Union and its member States and the
Central American countries, with the participation of the Group of Three
(Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela), in particular the ministerial conference
held at Florence, Italy, on 21 and 22 March 1996, where new objectives were
approved, concerning support for the strengthening and consolidation of the
rule of law, support for social policies aimed at softening the social costs
of structural adjustment programmes, and support for the Central American
integration process;
 
      19.   Also emphasizes the commitments on sustainable development adopted
at the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth meetings of the Summit of Central
American Presidents, with the aim of fashioning a region of peace, democracy
and sustainable development, and urges the international community to give
them every support;
 
      20.   Reiterates the importance of the support of the United Nations
system through its operational activities, in particular the United Nations
Development Programme, aimed at facilitating the development of programmes and
projects which are indispensable for strengthening peace and the development
process in the region, bearing particularly in mind the new strategy for
subregional development established by the Alliance for the Sustainable
Development of Central America, and urges the international community to lend
its support to the achievement of the goals of the new strategy for
development in Central America;
 
      21.   Reiterates its full appreciation to the Secretary-General for his
efforts to promote the pacification process and the consolidation of peace in
Central America and to the groups of friendly countries which have made a
direct contribution to attaining those ends, and requests that those efforts
be maintained;
 
      22.   Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly
at its fifty-second session on the implementation of the present resolution;
 
      23.   Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session the item entitled "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".