52/175 United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala

The General Assembly,

Recalling it resolutions 51/198 B of 27 March 1997, in which it decided to authorize the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala for one year, that is, until 31 March 1998, and 51/198 C of 31 July 1997, in which it encouraged the two parties and all sectors of Guatemalan society to join efforts for the implementation of the second phase of the Agreement on the Implementation, Compliance and Verification Timetable for the Peace Agreements, ⁽¹⁾ until 31 December 1997,

Taking into account the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the seventh report on human rights of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala, ⁽²⁾

Taking into account also the report of the Secretary-General relating to progress achieved by Central American countries in the areas of peace, freedom, democracy and development, ⁽³⁾

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Mission ⁽⁴⁾ and the recommendations therein, which are aimed at improving its capacity to respond adequately to the demands of the verification process during the biennium 1998-1999,

Encouraged by the efforts of the parties and sectors of Guatemalan society in support of the peace agreements,

Acknowledging the support given to the Mission by the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca,

Acknowledging also the support and improved coordination on the part of the international community for the programmes and projects deriving from the peace agreements,

Recalling the parties' request that the duration of the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala should be the same as that of the Implementation, Compliance and Verification Timetable for the Peace Agreements, namely, four years, from 1997 to 2000,

1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala; ⁽⁵⁾

2. Welcomes the seventh report on human rights of the Mission; ⁽⁶⁾

3. Welcomes also the report of the Secretary-General relating to progress achieved by Central American countries in the areas of peace, freedom, democracy and development; ⁽⁷⁾

4. Calls upon the parties to continue to implement the commitments they entered into in the Comprehensive Agreement of Human Rights ⁽⁸⁾ and those in the other peace agreements, in particular, those contained in the second phase of the Implementation, Compliance and Verification Timetable for the Peace Agreements;

5. Urges the parties and all sectors of Guatemalan society to strengthen further the efforts towards consensus building, reconciliation and development, with particular attention to the most vulnerable sectors of society;

6. Decides to authorize the renewal of the mandate of the Mission from 1 April to 31 December 1998;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to submit an updated report to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session, with his recommendations on the structure and staffing for the Mission after 31 December 1998;

8. Invites the international community to continue its support for peace-related activities in Guatemala, inter alia, through voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund for the Guatemala peace process established by the Secretary-General;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to keep the General Assembly fully informed of the implementation of the present resolution.

1. A/51/796-S/1997/114, annex I; see Official Records of the Security Council, Fifty-second Year, Supplement for January, February and March 1997, document S/1997/114.

2. A/52/330.

3. A/52/344.

4. A/52/554.

5. A/52/554.

6. A/52/330.

7. A/52/344.

8. A/48/928-S/1994/448, annex I; see Official Records of the Security Council, Forty-ninth Year, Supplement for April, May and June 1994, document S/1994/448.