During the reporting period, negotiations between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) have continued under the auspices of the United Nations. While advances in the process have been uneven, the establishment of 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 (MINUGUA) and the signing of the Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples are encouraging developments.
Taking into account progress made during the first half of 1994 as well as Commission on Human Rights resolution 1994/58, I recommended to the General Assembly in my report of 18 August 1994 (A/48/985) the earliest establishment of a human rights verification mission in Guatemala. On 19 September 1994, by resolution 48/267, the Assembly established MINUGUA for an initial period of six months, and I appointed Mr. Leonardo Franco as the Mission's Director. MINUGUA was officially inaugurated in November 1994. With eight regional offices, five subregional offices and an authorized strength of 245 international staff, the Mission represents a significant effort by the United Nations in human rights verification and institution-building. It is also the most tangible result so far of the talks between the Government of Guatemala and URNG.
After the signing of five agreements between January and June 1994, the pace of the negotiations slowed down during the last six months of the year. On 28 December 1994, I expressed my concern to the General Assembly and the Security Council and stated that the time-frame originally foreseen for the conclusion of a peace agreement would have to be revised. In addition, I wrote to the parties to ask them to renew their commitment to the process and to indicate the steps they would be prepared to take to allow it to regain momentum.
As a result of initiatives by the Secretariat, the parties agreed in February 1995 to several proposals aimed at facilitating the continuation of the talks, including a new time-frame. On that basis, I informed the General Assembly and the Security Council that conditions existed for further United Nations involvement in the peace process. Negotiations were resumed soon thereafter and the landmark Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples was signed at Mexico City on 31 March 1995. Immediately afterwards, preparatory work began for the negotiation of the next item of the agenda -- socio-economic aspects and the agrarian situation.
On 1 March 1995, I transmitted to the General Assembly the first report of the Director of MINUGUA (A/49/856 and Corr.1, annex), in which he acknowledged the cooperation received from the parties, the international community and the agencies of the United Nations system. With regard to MINUGUA's verification mandate, the Director confirmed the existence of a pattern of serious human rights abuses and widespread impunity in Guatemala. He also summarized MINUGUA's institution-building activities, aimed at strengthening those national institutions responsible for the protection of human rights. On 31 March 1995, the Assembly renewed MINUGUA's mandate for a further six months.
In April, I visited Guatemala to review the work of MINUGUA and progress in the peace process. I congratulated the parties on their achievements so far, in particular the Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples, but I stressed that their continued commitment, perseverance and political will were essential if the process was to succeed. I emphasized that the efforts of the Guatemalans towards national reconciliation would be backed by the international community with the United Nations as its instrument. As a follow-up to my visit, I appointed Mr. Gilberto Schlittler as my Special Envoy for the Guatemala Peace Process.
On 29 June, I transmitted to the General Assembly the second report of the Director of MINUGUA on human rights (A/49/929). The Director concluded that progress achieved since the installation of the Mission, while insufficient, demonstrated that with political will from the parties and commitment on the part of society as a whole, it was possible to improve the situation of human rights in Guatemala.
Currently, the parties are negotiating on several items, including the socio-economic aspects and the agrarian situation. Several items remain to be considered, namely, the strengthening of civilian power and the role of the army in a democratic society, the reintegration of URNG into political life, a definitive cease-fire, constitutional reforms and the electoral regime and, lastly, a schedule for implementation, enforcement and verification.
Guatemala is now in the first stages of an electoral campaign leading to presidential elections scheduled for November 1995. The timetable I proposed in February 1995 partly intended to ensure that electoral considerations would not affect the negotiations. It now appears, however, that the negotiations and the electoral process will overlap in time. This complex situation notwithstanding, I hope that the parties will be able to proceed steadily towards the signing of a final peace agreement, as early as possible in 1996.
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