General Agenda and Timetable for the Comprehensive Negotiating Process, Caracas

Export agreement:

Export agreement coding (PDF)

Country/entity: El Salvador
Region: Americas
Agreement name: General Agenda and Timetable for the Comprehensive Negotiating Process, Caracas
Date: 21 May 1990
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
El Salvador Civil War (1979 - 1992)
The civil war in El Salvador lasted from 1979 to 1992 between an authoritarian government and non-state opponents. Following a failed coup d’état, five leftist guerrilla movements merged to form the umbrella organisation Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). U.S. support for the central Salvatorean government after 1979 lasted until its collapsed in late 1980s, after which the right-wing Republican National Alliance (Arena) filled the power vacuum. In March 1990, the rebels announced a suspension of attacks on non-military entered into talks backed by the UN and Catholic Church with the government. Despite the talks violence peaked over the next two years until the Chapultepec Peace Accords were signed in Mexico City in February 1992. Another ceasefire was signed a month later, which lasted nine months and was never broken during that time. Arena won the 1994 presidential elections and maintained a significant portion of the legislature until 2009, when the FMLN attained the presidency.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: El Salvador peace process
Parties: Representing the Government of El Salvador: (Signed) Colonel Juan A. MARTINEZ VARELA; (Signed) Mr. Oscar Alfredo SANTAMARIA; (Signed) Colonel Mauricio Ernesto VARGAS; (Signed) Mr. Abelardo TORRES; (Signed) Mr. David ESCOBAR GALINDO; (Signed) Mr. Rafael HERNAN CONTRERAS;

Representing the Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional: (Signed) Commander Schafik HANDAL; (Signed) Commander Eduardo SANCHO;(Signed) Ana Guadelupe MARTINEZ; (Signed) Salvador SAMAYOA; (Signed) Dagoberto GUTIERREZ; (Signed) Marta VALLADARES; (Signed) Roberto CANAS;
Third parties: (Signed) Alvaro de SOTO, Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations;
Description: Initial objective to achieve political agreements for halt to armed confrontation and any acts that infringe rights of civilians, including agreement on armed forces; human rights; judicial system; electoral system; constitutional reform; economic and social issues; and verification by the UN. Agenda also to include establishment of necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating members of the FMLN into civilian institutional and political life, and agreements for the consolidation of the objectives of earlier Geneva Agreement. Agreed on schedule and set deadline for achievement of initial paragraph 1 of the Geneva Agreement, for middle of September. Agreed agenda for future negotiations to halt armed confrontation and achieve political agreements; agreement on topics to all into first, second and third phase of negotiations, respectively

Agreement document: SV_900521_General Agenda and Timetable for the Comprehensive Negotiating Process, Caracas.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
I. The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council.
(a) First: Political agreements
(4) Electoral System

Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
II. Establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.
4. Electoral system

Page 3, B. TIMETABLE
... This deadline would offer the additional advantage of helping to ensure that a legislative and municipal electoral process is conducted in an atmosphere of tranquillity, broad participation and freedom from intimidation.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: Governance→Constitution→Constitutional reform/making
Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
I. The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council.
(a) First: Political agreements
(5) Constitutional Reform

Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
II. Establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.
5. Constitutional reform

Page 3, III. Final agreements for the consolidation of the objectives of the Geneva Agreement and verification, where appropriate, by the United Nations.
Note: The sequence of the items listed for each phase does not imply a strict order of consideration and may be changed by mutual consent.
Agreements must be tailored to the nature of the phase involved. Political issues have been placed in their respective phases but, given the complexity of some of them, aspects thereof may be addressed in other phases. All this depends on the dynamic of the negotiations.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
I. The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council.
(a) First: Political agreements
... (2) Human Rights
(b) Second: Cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
I. The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council.
(a) First: Political agreements
(3) Judicial System

Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
II. Establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.
3. Judicial system
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Socio-economic development
Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
I. The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council.
(a) First: Political agreements
(6) Economic and social issues

Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
II. Establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.
6. Economic and social issues
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
I. The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council.
(a) First: Political agreements
(1) Armed forces

Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
II. Establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.
2. Human Rights
DDR: Security sector→DDR→DDR programmes
Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
II. Establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.
1. Armed forces
7. Reintegration of FMLN members
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: (Signed) Alvaro de SOTO, Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations;
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 2, A. GENERAL AGENDA
I. The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council.
(a) First: Political agreements
(7) Verification by the United Nations

Page 2-3, A. GENERAL AGENDA
II. Establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.
8. Verification by the United Nations
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: United States Institute of Peace (2001) Peace Agreements: El Salvador - Peace Agreements Digital Collection. Available at: https://www.usip.org/publications/2001/04/peace-agreements-el-salvador (Accessed 14 October 2020).

ANNEX

General agenda and timetable for the comprehensive negotiating process

A. GENERAL AGENDA

I. The initial objective shall be to reach political agreements which lay the basis for a cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population, which will have to be verified by the United Nations, subject to the approval of the Security Council.

(a) First:

Political agreements

Armed forces

Human rights

Judicial system

Electoral system

Constitutional reform

Economic and social issues

Verification by the United Nations

(b) Second:

Cessation of the armed conflict and of any acts that infringe the rights of the civilian population

II. Establishment of the necessary guarantees and conditions for reintegrating the members of FMLN, within a framework of full legality, into the civil, institutional and political life of the country.

Armed forces

Human rights

Judicial system

Electoral system

Constitutional reform

Economic and social issues

Reintegration of FMLN members

Verification by the United Nations

III. Final agreements for the consolidation of the objectives of the Geneva Agreement and verification, where appropriate, by the United Nations.

Note:

The sequence of the items listed for each phase does not imply a strict order of consideration and may be changed by mutual consent.

Agreements must be tailored to the nature of the phase involved.

Political issues have been placed in their respective phases but, given the complexity of some of them, aspects thereof may be addressed in other phases.

All this depends on the dynamic of the negotiations.

B. TIMETABLE

In the light of the general agenda for the comprehensive negotiating process set forth in the preceding section, the Government of El Salvador and FMLN agree that the initial objective set forth in paragraph 1 of the Geneva Agreement of 4 April 1990 should be achieved by the middle of September 1990, provided that agreements are reached which are synchronized, have implementation timetables and can be verified where appropriate, so as to ensure that all the components of the initial objective are duly coordinated.

This deadline would offer the additional advantage of helping to ensure that a legislative and municipal electoral process is conducted in an atmosphere of tranquillity, broad participation and freedom from intimidation.

It is difficult to set a fixed date for the conclusion of the comprehensive process.

This will depend on factors that cannot be weighed at the present time, such as the extent and scope of the political agreements reched under paragraph I, which are a matter of negotiation, and the relationship between the negotiations and the electoral process.

There is also a possibility that the initial objective may be achieved before the deadline.

For these reasons, the conclusion of the process should be envisaged not in terms of dates but rather in terms of a given number of months after the achievement of the initial objective:

tentatively, two to six months.

On the basis of the above understandings, the Government and FMLN shall, as their first substantive priority, concentrate on negotiating the political agreements envisaged under the initial objective.

Representing the Government of El Salvador:

(Signed)

Colonel Juan A. MARTINEZ VARELA

(Signed)

Mr. Oscar Alfredo SANTAMARIA

(Signed)

Colonel Mauricio Ernesto VARGAS

(Signed)

Mr. Abelardo TORRES

(Signed)

Mr. David ESCOBAR GALINDO

(Signed)

Mr. Rafael HERNAN CONTRERAS

Representing the Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional:

(Signed)

Commander Schafik HANDAL

(Signed)

Commander Eduardo SANCHO

(Signed)

Ana Guadelupe MARTINEZ

(Signed)

Salvador SAMAYOA

(Signed)

Dagoberto GUTIERREZ

(Signed)

Marta VALLADARES

(Signed)

Roberto CANAS

(Signed) Alvaro de SOTO

Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations