United Nations General Assembly Resolution 48/267

Forty-eighth session Agenda item 40

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 45/15 of 20 November 1990, 46/109 A of 17 December 1991, 47/118 of 18 December 1992 and, in particular, 48/161 of 20 December 1993, in which it requested the Secretary-General to continue to support the peace process in Guatemala,

Welcoming the resumption in January 1994, under the auspices of the Secretary-General, of the negotiations between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca, and the signing on 10 January 1994 of the Framework Agreement for the Resumption of the Negotiating Process between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca,

Noting that the parties decided in the Framework Agreement to request the United Nations to verify all agreements reached between them, and the support of the Secretary-General for that request,

Welcoming also the signing on 29 March 1994 of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and the Agreement on a Timetable for the Negotiation of a Firm and Lasting Peace in Guatemala,

Encouraged by the signing on 17 June 1994 of the Agreement on Resettlement of the Population Groups Uprooted by the Armed Conflict and, on 23 June 1994, of the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commission to Clarify Past Human Rights Violations and Acts of Violence that have Caused the Guatemalan Population to Suffer,

Commending the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca for the flexibility demonstrated during the negotiation of the above-mentioned agreements,

Taking note of the request of the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca, contained in the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights, that the United Nations establish at the earliest possible date a mission to verify the implementation of that Agreement even before the signature of the agreement on a firm and lasting peace,

Recognizing the efforts made by the Secretary-General and the Group of Friends of the Guatemalan peace process and their constant support and contribution to the achievement of a lasting peace in Guatemala,

Wishing to contribute to the efforts to ensure adequate protection of human rights in Guatemala,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 18 August 1994 on the establishment of a human rights verification mission in Guatemala,

Underlining the great importance that it attaches to the early conclusion of the agreement on a firm and lasting peace as the culmination of the process of negotiated settlement of the armed confrontation in Guatemala,

1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the establishment of a human rights verification mission in Guatemala;

2. Decides to establish a Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala in accordance with the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General, for an initial period of six months;

3. Emphasizes the importance of the undertaking by the parties, contained in the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights, to provide their broadest support to the Mission and whatever cooperation it may need to carry out its functions, particularly with respect to the security of the members of the Mission;

4. Calls upon the parties to comply fully with all their other undertakings under the Comprehensive Agreement;

5. Also calls upon the parties to pursue a vigorous process of negotiation, as agreed by them in the Framework Agreement for the Resumption of the Negotiating Process between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca and the Agreement on a Timetable for the Negotiation of a Firm and Lasting Peace in Guatemala, and to this end to cooperate fully with the Secretary-General and his representative in their efforts;

6. Invites the international community to support institutionbuilding and cooperation projects in the area of human rights which could be implemented by the Mission and the relevant Guatemalan institutions and entities with the participation of United Nations organizations and programmes;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to conclude a status-of-mission agreement with the Government of Guatemala, to come into force no later than thirty days after the adoption of the present resolution;

8. Also requests the Secretary-General to keep the General Assembly fully informed of the implementation of the present resolution.

106th plenary meeting

19 September 1994