Peace Agreements
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT FOR THE SEARCH FOR PEACE THROUGH POLITICAL MEANS
Fundamental
Querétaro, México, D,F, 25 of july of 1991
With the purpose of reaching the objectives devised in the Agreements of Esquipulas II of August 7, 1987, and pursuant to the Oslo Agreement of March 30, 1990, the Government delegations of the Republic of Guatemala and of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca) (URNG for its initials in Spanish), HAVING CONTINUED THE NEGOTIATIONS UNDER THE CONCILIATION of the President of the Comité Nacional de Reconciliación (National Committee of Reconciliation) (CNR for its initials in Spanish) and under the observation of the representative of the General Secretary of the United Nations, Doctor Francesco Vendrell, and by these means attesting to the agreements that they have reached regarding the subject of Democratization of the Agreement of the general subjects approved in Mexico City on April 26 of this year.
THEY CONSIDER THAT:
1. The political forces and the various sectors that make up the Guatemalan society have expressed themselves towards obtaining peace, democracy and social justice.
2. The Government of the Republic of Guatemala and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) have agreed to develop a process of negotiations with the final objective of searching for peace by political means, perfecting a functional and participating democracy and agree upon bases on which to consolidate the development and progress of the country to assure the democratic coexistence and obtainment of the common weal.
3. Dealing with the subject of democratization allows the construction of the general framework that registers in a coherent manner the other subjects mentioned for the negotiation process.
4. Guatemala requires measures that assure the development of democratization in the political, socioeconomic and cultural aspects. The Government of the Republic of Guatemala acknowledges its responsibility to apply measures that respond to the interests of the population and that assure the democratization of the country.
5. The procedures and the agreements resulting from the discussion of the general subjects approved in Mexico are fundamental for the process of perfecting a functional and participating democracy; therefore, the Conciliator must inform their content to the Guatemalan nation in an objective and fair manner.
6. The political agreements reached by the Government of the Republic of Guatemala and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) must reflect the legitimate aspirations of all Guatemalans and conduct to institutional measures and propose constitutional reforms before the Congress of the Republic, within the framework and the spirit of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala and the Oslo Agreements, the Escorial and Mexico.
Consequently, the Government of the Republic of Guatemala and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG)
AGREE:
I. That the strengthening of a functional and participating democracy requires:
a. The preeminence of the Civil Society.
b. The development of an institutional democratic life.
c. The effective functioning of a state of law.
d. The permanent elimination of political repression, electoral fraud or imposition, the military riots and pressures and the antidemocratic destabilizing actions.
e. The unrestrictive respect for human rights.
f. The subordination of the function of the armed forces to the civil power.
g. The acknowledgement and respect for the identity and rights of the indigenous population.
h. The access and right of every Guatemalan to the benefits of the national production and natural resources that must be based on principles of social justice.
i. The effective relocation of the population displaced by the internal armed confrontation.
II. That democratization requires the guarantee and promotion of the participation, directly or indirectly, of the civil society in general in the formulation, execution and evaluation of the Government policies in the different administrative levels, acknowledging the right of all the social groups that constitute the Nation to develop under just and fair labor relationships, in their own cultural and organizational forms, in total respect for human rights and the law.
III. That this agreement must be fully disclosed to the Guatemalan nation and particularly to the sectors dialoguing at the meetings that were held in compliance with the Oslo Agreement and the National Dialogue, and must be informed by the Conciliator to obtain the adequate understanding.
IV. This agreement shall be consigned and shall be part of the Firm and Lasting Peace Agreement and shall serve as a framework for the other subjects of negotiation with the peculiarities and specifications corresponding to each.
