lkk@mit-eddie.UUCP (Larry Kolodney) (12/04/85)
There have been a lot of claims about the U.S. and Nicaraguan
positions on the Contadora process. Here's some excerpts from
everybody's favorite newspaper of record which might clarify the
situation.
(C) New York Times 1985
P. A3 Dec. 3
U.S. Rules Out New Nicarauga Talks
By Alan Riding
CARTAGENA, Columbia, Dec. 2 -
Secretary of State George P. Shultz said today that the United States
had no intention of resuming direct negotiation with Nicaragua in the
context of the peace initiative by Panama, Columbia, Mexico and
Venezuela.
At a meeting of the Organization of American States here, Mr.
Shultz said past talks had resulted in a Nicaraguan effort "to
undermine" the so-called Contadora peace process, "so we don't intend to
go back to that."
He spoke with reporters after conferring with the Foreign
Ministers of Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela and Panama, the four Contadora
Group nations.
Mr. Shultz said he had heard nothing to suggest "Nicaragua's
willingness to engage in the kind of internal reconciliation that we
feel is an essential attribute to any ialogue we might have with them."
Last year, in response to a Mexican request, the United States
and Nicaragua held a series of meetings in Manzanillo, Mexico, but no
progress was made.
Meanwhile, the Contadora nations have been consulting with other
regional governments in the hope of preventing the collapse of the peace
effort.
The Contadora Group has prepared a draft peace treaty that has
been provisionally accepted by El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica.
Nicaragua has refused to sign it unless it is accompanied by a
commitment from the United States to end support for rebel groups.
"We are being asked to disarm without any promise that the war
against us will end." a Nicaraguan offical said. "If e accept it, we
would be committing suicide."
Tensions ithin the Contadora Group emerged last week when
Columbia, Venezuela, and Panama withdrew support for a draft resolution
they had initially co-sponsered with Mexico aimed at obtaining
endorsement of their effort by the United Nations General Assembly.
Mexican officials said privately that the United States had
pressured the three other Contadora countries to withdraw support for
the draft resolution which, among other things, called for an end to
military maneuvers by foreign powers in Central America.
Mr. Shultz, when asked today whether the United Stas lobied for
withdrawal of the resolution, said, "It was introduced by one nation and
withdrawn by the others and I think that speaks for itself."
The Foreign Ministers of the Contadora nations met Sunday with a
support group made up of Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Uraguay in the hope
of ironing out their internal differences.
Peru's Foreign Minister, Allan Wagner, said the eight had agreed to
resubmit the draft United Nations resolution under joint sponsorship.
....
[discussion of unrelated O.A.S. issues]
*End of Article*
--
larry kolodney (The Devil's Advocate)
UUCP: ...{ihnp4, decvax!genrad}!mit-eddie!lkk
ARPA: lkk@mit-mc