COMMUNIQUE

(Unofficial translation)
Miami, Florida, December 30, 1999

The Foreign Ministers of Honduras, Roberto Flores Bermúdez, and of Nicaragua, Eduardo Montealegre Rivas, met in the city of Miami, Florida, U.S.A., on December 29 and 30, 1999, with Luigi Einaudi, Special Representative of the Organization of American States (OAS). In compliance with Resolution 757, adopted by the Permanent Council of the hemispheric organization last December 7, the purpose of the discussions was to identify measures and actions to eliminate existing tensions between both countries, prevent actions that could affect regional peace, and promote good neighborly relations.

1. As a result of these conversations, which took place in an atmosphere of mutual respect, an agreement was reached for the immediate separation of military forces, and to that end the Parties agreed to:

a) define and establish a military exclusion zone in the Caribbean Sea;

b) immediately freeze, along and near the land border, the presence of military personnel and border posts at the positions and numbers that existed on September 1, 1999; and

c) recommence the process of laying marker buoys in the Gulf of Fonseca, in accordance with the calendar previously established by both countries. To that end, the Parties will adopt the necessary measures to guarantee the security of the technical personnel who perform the work of laying the buoys.

2. The specific courses of action for implementing the confidence-building and tension-reducing measures in paragraph 1 will be negotiated in a way that permits the verification of their compliance by third parties, and that can also:

a) provide security to fishermen; and

b) prevent incidents that threaten the security of communities, particularly indigenous and rural, along the border.

3. The Foreign Ministers reaffirmed the will of their respective countries to peacefully resolve their differences, and recognize the usefulness of having submitted those related to maritime areas in the Caribbean Sea to the International Court of Justice for a decision.

4. The Foreign Ministers also agreed to seek and continue to use mechanisms and other modalities of existing jurisdictional and political resources within the Central American Integration System that provide for peacefully resolving regional differences.

5. The Foreign Ministers and the Special Representative agreed to meet January 12-13, 2000, at the Headquarters of the Organization of American States to continue developing measures that foster confidence between both Republics.

6. The Special Envoy will inform the Organization of American States and the media about the agreements that the Foreign Ministers of Honduras and Nicaragua reach on the above-mentioned subjects throughout the course of the scheduled sessions.

Roberto Flores Bermúdez
Foreign Minister of Honduras

Eduardo Montealegre Rivas
Foreign Minister of Nicaragua

Luigi R. Einaudi
Special Representative of the Organization of American States

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