well as cessation of lethal aid to irregular forces and insurgent movements and the non-use of territory to attack other states. These are all elements of the whole of the peace process. The Secretary General's statement upon the Security Council's decision to establish ONUCA noted that shifting circumstances warranted careful review of ONUCA's personnel and requirements in order to be fully effective and suggested review and consultation with the Security Council following initial stages of deployment. Following late November budget meetings, the United Nations sent phase one of a four-phase ONUCA deployment to Central America on December 2. At the December 10-12 summit meeting at San Isidro de Coronado, Costa Rica, the five Central American presidents' declaration called for an expanded ONUCA mandate to verify cease-fires, "reiterating their vigorous appeal to the FMLN immediately and effectively to cease hostilities." At the time of San Isidro, the Secretary General proposed to the Central American presidents a cease-fire verification model based on separation of forces and security enclaves, a model the United States considered workable. However, at year's end, cease-fires had not been negotiated, though hostilities were diminishing. Resolution 637 By mid-summer, as Central American requests for UN assistance in the Esquipulas peace process increased and as the UN role deepened in Central America, the Security Council moved to support the Secretary General in his efforts. Colombia and Algeria drafted a resolution that passed unanimously and with minimal friction. In his introduction, Security Council President Pejic, Permanent Representative of Yugoslavia, noted the broad general support for the resolution. The United States suggested changes to enhance and strengthen the resolution, emphasizing the need to keep the Central Americans at center stage in the peace process; the importance of democratization; and the need for close consultation between the Secretariat and the Security Council. The final version of resolution 637 stated Security Council awareness of the importance which Central American presidents attached to the role of international verification as essential to the Esquipulas process, that Esquipulas comprised a harmonious and indivisible whole, noted appreciation for the efforts of the Secretary General, and expressed its "firmest support" for Esquipulas II. In his statement following adoption of the resolution, Ambassador Pickering emphasized the centrality of Esquipulas and Tesoro in the achievement of peace and democracy in Central America; the crucial need for a free and fair election process in Nicaragua to unlock regional movement toward peace, democracy and development; and that Nicaragua and Cuba must cease supplies of lethal assistance to the FMLN and publicly support solely the use of political means and national reconciliation as provided for in Esquipulas. Security Council President's Statement of December 8 At a November 30 meeting, requested on an urgent basis by El Salvador following an upsurge in violence there, Salvadoran Permanent Representative Castenada accused the Sandinistas of supplying arms to the FMLN and of violating regional peace accords. He said the peace accords could be rescued if the Security Council could verify the El Salvador complaint. He offered full cooperation with any fact-finding mission the Council might send. Nicaraguan Permanent Respresentative Caldera, in his statement before the Security Council, said El Salvador formed part of the U.S. plan of aggression against Nicaragua. He called on the Council to take measures to guarantee human rights in El Salvador, to obtain immediate cease-fires, and to relaunch effective and substantive negotiations between the Government of El Salvador and the FMLN. In the U.S. right of reply, Ambassador Pickering stated: The Sandinistas are clearly violating the Esquipulas and Tela accords in shipping arms and supplying weaponry to the FMLN. We appeal urgently to the Government of Nicaragua and to those who are supplying the suppliers to abide by the spirit of the Esquipulas accord. Security Council President Penalosa of Colombia circulated a draft statement in response to El Salvador's concerns. The United States insisted that the letter go beyond El Salvador to encompass Central America, since Esquipulas II called for democratization and peace and the two were inextricably linked. Brazil, on behalf of the NAM Security Council members, proposed a text that focused on the Central American peace process and the need to implement the agreements of the five Central American governments. The United States pressed for support of Esquipulas II and called for cease-fires, resumption of dialogue and a halt to arms transfers. In the final language of the statement presented December 8, the Security Council President expressed grave concern over the present situation in Central America, particularly the sufferings of the civilian population; supported Esquipulas II; asserted the primary responsibility of the five Central American presidents to find solutions to regional problems; and appealed to all states, "including those with links to the region and interests in it, to refrain from all actions that could impede the achievement of a real and lasting settlement in Central America through negotiations." GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONSIDERATION The General Assembly adopted without a vote on October 23 a resolution with broad Latin sponsorship titled "The situation in Central America: threats to international peace and security and peace initiatives." This resolution, updated from previous years to reflect support for the ongoing establishment of Esquipulas monitoring mechanisms, "requests the Secretary General to continue to afford the fullest possible support to the Central American Governments in their efforts to achieve peace." (Resolution 44/10.) Nicaragua, Peru, Yugoslavia, France, Byelorussia, Japan, Cuba, Libya and the United States spoke. The United States stressed the need for verification of Esquipulas pledges; emphasized that voluntary demobilization was clearly linked to internal reforms in Nicaragua; and expressed concern regarding continuing arms transfers to the FMLN, highlighting the seizure of FMLNbound arms shipments in Honduras October 18. Nicaragua accused the United States of interfering in Nicaragua's elections and of delaying demobilization. ICJ Decision on Nicaragua By vote of 91 to 2 (U.S.) with 41 abstentions, Nicaragua secured passage of a resolution calling for "full and immediate compliance" with the June 1986 International Court of Justice decision in the case of "Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua." Support for the resolution increased by two and absences or nonparticipation increased by seven over the previous year's resolution. In his report on the item, the Secretary General noted that the International Court of Justice was in the process of deciding the form and amount of reparation owed by the United States to Nicaragua in accordance with its judgment of 27 June 1986 on the merits of the case and that the United States maintained the Court was without jurisdiction to entertain the dispute. In its explanation of vote, the United States said the previous week's discovery of 24 surface-to-air missles in shipment from Nicaragua to Salvadoran guerrillas proved that Nicaragua's regional destabilization activities continued, thereby undermining the peace process; and that the United States fully respected and supported the International Court of Justice, but in this case the Court had erred in establishing jurisdiction. The U.S. Trade Embargo Against Nicaragua The Nicaraguan Delegation tabled a resolution in the Second Committee deploring the continuation of the U.S. trade embargo and seeking its immediate revocation. The United States reiterated its belief that this resolution, similar to those introduced at the past three General Assemblies, was inappropriate and further proof that the Sandinista regime was more interested in disrupting the work of the Second Committee than in serious dialogue. The United States rejected any implication that U.S. trade restrictions against Nicaragua were illegal or improper under international law. The United States also held that the Second Committee was an inappropriate forum for discussion of this issue. The Second Committee adopted the resolution by a margin of 78 in favor, 2 against (U.S. and Israel) and 32 abstentions. The resolution was subsequently adopted in the plenary session by a similar vote, 82 in favor, 2 against (U.S. and Israel) and 47 abstentions. (Resolution 44/217.) In his statement to the Second Committee, Mr. Richard Devine, U.S. Economic Adviser to the Second Committee, said that the resolution was an attempt by the Sandinista government to shift attention away from its commitments to democratize and to end the use of its territory for subversion of other countries in the region. The plane crash near El Transito, El Salvador, and the discovery of weapons shipped from Nicaragua and destined for the Salvadoran guerrillas and the Sandinista military build-up on the Honduran border, he said, were indications of Nicaragua's real intentions. Mr. Devine concluded by noting that the economic impact of the U.S. economic measures was limited. Nicaragua's poor economic performance was largely the result of economic mismanagement, government expropriation without due process of law, internal political intimidation and subversion of its neighbors. COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE LATIN On October 17 the United States joined the General Assembly consensus adopting a resolution on cooperation with the Latin American Economic System (SELA), established by convention in 1975. The resolution (44/4) urges the Economic Commisson for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the UN Development Program (UNDP) to broaden and deepen their cooperation with SELA and requests the UN Secretary General and the Permanent Secretary of SELA to initiate consultations for the purpose of drafting a cooperation agreement between the United Nations and SELA. Cyprus The Secretary General, assisted by his Special Representative for Cyprus Oscar Camilion, actively pursued his good offices mission during 1989. From January through June Cypriot President Vassiliou and Turkish Cypriot leader Denktash continued talks under UN auspices aimed at achieving substantial progress on a solution of the Cyprus problem. However, divisions emerged at mid-year on key substantive issues regarding the outline of an overall agreement. The last half of 1989 saw continued efforts by the Secretary General and his special representative to restart the negotiations, which were expected to resume in early 1990. U.S. officials met with various Cypriot, Turkish and Greek officials throughout the year to underline continuing strong U.S. interest in helping to achieve a peaceful and enduring solution to the Cyprus question and demonstrate full U.S. support for the Secretary General's initiative. The Security Council met twice during the year to renew the 6-month mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). On June 9 the Council unanimously adopted resolution 634, extending UNFICYP's mandate through December 15. The Council voted unanimously again on December 14 to renew the mandate until June 15, 1990. (Resolution 646.) Following adoption of the latter resolution, the President of the Security Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council: The members of the Security Council expressed their support for the continuing effort of the Secretary General in pursuing the initiative launched in August 1988. They recognized that a viable solution must satisfy the legitimate interests of both communities. They urged both leaders to proceed as suggested by the Secretary General in completing work on an outline of an overall agreement and to make a further determined effort to promote reconciliation. The 44th General Assembly took no action on the agenda item "Question of Cyprus" carried over from previous years. This item, which has not been debated in the Assembly since 1983, was retained on the agenda for the 45th session. DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL UN Disarmament Commission The Disarmament Commission provides a subsidiary forum for deliberation on disarmament issues as mandated by the General Assembly, when the Assembly is not in session. It is a deliberative body and a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly, whose function is to consider and make recommendations on various problems in the field of disarmament and to follow up the relevant decisions and recommendations of the special session devoted to disarmament. The 1989 session of the UNDC met in New York at the UN Headquarters from May 8-31. The Commission held eight plenary meetings under the chairmanship of Ambassador Bagbeni Adeito Nzengeya (Zaire). Mr. Lin KuoChung, Senior Political Affairs Officer, Department for Disarmament Affairs, served as Secretary of the Disarmament Commission. The Commission also elected eight vice-chairmen and a rapporteur of the 1989 Commission. The 1989 Bureau of the Commission was constituted as follows: Chairman: Ambassador Bagbeni Adeito Nzengeya (Zaire); Vice-Chairmen were representatives from the following states: Austria, |