REPORT ON U.S. SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIC RESISTANCE IN NICARAGUA-MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT-PM 34

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87M01152R000400490014-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 1, 2010
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: April 3, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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April 4, 1985
I want to announce today a proposal for peace in Central America
that can enable liberty and democracy to prevail in this troubled
region and that can protect the security of our own borders,
economy and people.
On March 1st in San Jose, Costa Rica, the leaders of the
Nicaraguan democratic resistance met with a broad coalition of
other exiled Nicaraguan democrats. They agreed upon and signed
an historic proposal to restore peace and democracy in their
country.
The members of the democratic resistance offered a ceasefire in
return for an agreement by the Nicaraguan regime to begin a
dialogue, mediated by the Bishops Conference of the Roman
Catholic Church, with the goal of restoring democracy through
honest elections. To date, the Nicaraguan regime has refused
this offer.
The Central American countries, including Nicaragua, have agreed
that internal reconciliation is indispensable to regional peace.
But we know that unlike President Duarte of El Salvador, who
seeks a dialogue with his opponents, the communists in Nicaragua
have turned, at least up until now, a cold shoulder to appeals
for national reconciliation from the Pope and the Nicaraguan
bishops. And, we know that without incentives, none of this will
change.
For these reasons, great numbers of Nicaraguans are demanding
change and taking up arms to fight for the stolen promise of
freedom and democracy. Over 15,000 -- farmers and small
merchants, whites, blacks, and Miskito Indians -- have united to
struggle for a true democracy.
We supported democracy in Nicaragua before, and we support
democracy today. We supported national reconciliation before and
we support it today. We believe democracy deserves as much
support in Nicaragua as it has received in El Salvador.
We are proud of the help we have given to El Salvador. You may
recall that, in 1981, we were told that the communist guerrillas
were mounting a final offensive, the government had no chance,
and our approach would lead to greater American involvement.
Well, our critics were wrong, democracy and freedom are winning
in El Salvador. President Duarte is pulling his country together
and enjoys wide support from the people. And all this with
America's help kept strictly limited.
The formula that worked in El Salvador -- support for democracy,
self-defense, economic development and dialogue -- will work for
the entire region. And we could not have accomplished this
without bipartisan support in Congress backed up by the National
Bipartisan Commission on Central America, headed by Henry
Kissinger.
That is why, after months of consulting with Congressional
leaders and listening carefully to their concerns, I am making
the following proposal.
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I am calling upon both sides to lay down their arms and accept
the offer of church-mediated talks on internationally supervised
elections and an end to the repression now in place against the
church, the press and individual rights.
To the members of the democratic resistance, I ask them to extend
their offer of a ceasefire until June 1st.
To the Congress, I ask for immediate release of the $14 million
already appropriated. While the ceasefire offer is on the table,
I pledge these funds will not be used for arms or munitions.
These funds would be used for food, clothing'and medicine and
other support for survival. The democratic opposition cannot be
a partner in negotiations without these basic necessities.
If the Sandinistas accept this peace offer, I will keep my
funding restrictions in effect. But peace' negotiations must not
become a cover for deception and delay. If there is no agreement
after 60 days of negotiations, I will lift these restrictions
unless both sides ask me not to.
I want to emphasize that, consistent with the 21 goals of the
Contadora process, the United States continues to seek:
1. Nicaragua's implementation of its commitment to
democracy made to the OAS;
2. An end to Nicaragua's aggression against its neighbcrs;
3. A removal of the.thousands of Soviet Bloc/Cuban, PLO,
Libyan and other military and security personnel; and
4. A return of the Nicaraguan military to a level of
parity with their neighbors.
Later today I will be meeting with Arturo Cruz, Adolfo Calerc,
and Alfonso Robelo to discuss my proposal.
Democracy is the road to peace. But if we abandon the brave
members of the democratic resistance, we will also remove all
constraints on the communists. Democracy can succeed in Central
America, but Congress must release the funds that can create
incentives for dialogue and peace. %
If we provide too little help, our choice will be communist
Central America with communist subversion spreading southward and
northward. We face the risk that 100 million people from Panama
to our open southern border could come under the control of
pro-Soviet regimes and threaten the United States with violence,
economic chaos, and a human tidal wave of refugees.
Central America is not condemned to that dark future of endless
violence. If the United States meets its obligations to help
those now striving for democracy, they can create a bright future
in which peace for all Americans will be secure. In the spirit
of Easter, let us make it so.
I look forward to working with the Congress on this important
matter in the coming weeks.
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