Chapter VII
Cessation of the Armed Conflict
1. The cessation of the armed conflict (hereinafter referred to as the CAC) is a brief, dynamic and irreversible process
of predetermined duration which must be implemented throughout the national territory of El Salvador. During the CAC, there shall be no
substantive negotiations but only the measures necessary to put into practice the agreements reached during the negotiating process.
2. The CAC shall begin on 1 February 1992 (hereinafter referred to as D-Day) and shall be completed on 31 October 1992.
3. The CAC consists of four elements, as defined herein:
- The cease-fire;
- The separation of forces;
- The end of the military structure of FMLN and the reintegration of its members, within a framework of full legality, into the civil,
political and institutional life of the country;
- United Nations verification of all the abovementioned activities.
This chapter also includes agreements on the restoration of public administration in conflict zones and the use of the
mass media to promote reconciliation (see annexes E and F).
The cease-fire
4. The cease-fire shall enter into force officially on D-Day.
5. As of that date, each of the parties shall, as appropriate, refrain from carrying out any hostile act or operation by means
of forces or individuals under its control, meaning that neither party shall carry out any kind of attack by land, sea or air, organize patrols
or offensive manoeuvres, occupy new positions, lay mines, interfere with military communications or carry out any kind of reconnaissance operations,
acts of sabotage or any other military activity which, in the opinion of ONUSAL, might violate the cease-fire, or any act that infringes the rights
of the civilian population.
6. Official verification of compliance with the undertaking described in the preceding paragraph shall begin on D-Day.
Any alleged violation of the cease-fire shall be investigated by ONUSAL.
7. During the period between the signing of this Agreement and D-Day, the two parties shall observe an informal cease-fire
under which they undertake not to carry out any of the activities described in paragraph 5.
8. ONUSAL shall deploy its personnel and equipment during the informal cease-fire period, so as to be able to verify all
aspects of the CAC as of D-Day.
Separation of forces
9. The purpose of the separation of forces is to reduce the risk of incidents, to build trust and to allow ONUSAL to
verify both parties' compliance with this Agreement.
10. The separation of forces shall take place in two stages, so that the Salvadorian armed forces (FAES) fall back
progressively from their present positions until deployed as they would normally be in peacetime and the FMLN forces are concentrated
progressively in designated locations within conflict areas as determined in annex D.
11. During the first stage, which shall coincide with the five days following D-Day, FAES land forces shall go to the
barracks, bases, existing semi-permanent facilities and other locations listed in annex A
and FMLN forces, except for the combatants mentioned in paragraph 18, shall go to the places listed in
annex B.
The places listed in annexes A
and B generally reflect the present deployment of
the two parties' forces.
12. The movements described in the preceding paragraph shall be made under the supervision of ONUSAL. Neither party shall
do anything to prevent or jeopardize the movement of the other party's forces during this period. ONUSAL military observers shall closely
supervise all the places listed in annexes A
and B and shall in principle be present 24 hours a day in each of those places as of D-Day.
13. During the period between D-Day + 6 days and D-Day + 30 days, FAES land forces shall fall back to their peacetime
positions as listed in annex C and FMLN forces, except for the combatants mentioned in
paragraph 18, shall fall back to the locations indicated in annex D.
The precise designation of such locations shall be determined by the ONUSAL Chief Military Observer, in consultation
with the two parties, during the informal cease-fire period.
14. The movements described in the preceding paragraph, which shall also be supervised by ONUSAL, shall be carried out
according to phased programmes agreed between the ONUSAL Chief Military Observer and the two parties during the informal cease-fire
period, through the joint working group to which reference is made in paragraph 32. During this task, the group shall be guided as
appropriate by the agreed timetable for the implementation of the agreements reached.
15. As soon as possible after the signing of this Agreement but no later than two weeks before D-Day, the FAES shall
transmit to the ONUSAL Chief Military Observer detailed information on the number of their troops and weapons to be concentrated
in the places listed in annex A.
16. As soon as possible after the signing of this Agreement but no later than two weeks before D-Day, FMLN shall supply
the ONUSAL Chief Military Observer with detailed information on its troop strength and inventories of arms, ammunition, mines, other
explosives and military equipment located anywhere within the national territory. These arms, etc. shall be concentrated in the places
listed in annex B, with the exception of those of its clandestine forces, which shall be concentrated in
the places listed in annex D during the second stage of the separation of forces.
17. Upon completion of the first stage of the separation of forces, that is, as of D-Day + 6, ONUSAL shall verify that
all troops and military equipment declared by the parties, other than the arms, etc. referred to in the last sentence of the
preceding paragraph, have been concentrated in the locations listed in annexes A and
B. ONUSAL shall investigate any report or
allegation of the presence of troops or military equipment in any place other than those locations, apart from the movements authorized
in paragraphs 20-22.
18. The arrangements just described relate to FAES land forces and FMLN forces as defined in paragraph 11. Although it
is not possible, for practical reasons, to arrange a similar separation of clandestine forces, the latter shall remain fully subject
to the undertaking to refrain from carrying out any hostile act or operation. As provided in paragraph 6, any alleged violation of
this undertaking shall be investigated by ONUSAL.
19. As of D-Day, the naval and air force components of the FAES shall refrain from carrying out any offensive operation.
They shall carry out only such non-hostile missions as are necessary for the discharge of their duties unrelated to the armed conflict.
ONUSAL shall be advised in advance of all military flight plans. Such flights shall not be carried out over places where FMLN
forces have been concentrated.
20. During the CAC period, ONUSAL liaison officers shall be posted in FAES units, bases and barracks to coordinate in
advance the movements of FAES forces throughout the national territory and to verify that such movements will neither violate the
cease-fire nor jeopardize in any other way the process of implementing this Agreement.
21. With special reference to FAES forces deployed near places where there are FMLN forces, in other words,
those listed in appendix 1 to annex A and those listed in appendix 1 to annex C, the Government agrees that such
forces shall be authorized to leave their locations only with the consent of ONUSAL and for the following purposes:
- To carry out troop rotations and relief;
- To carry out liaison and coordination activities between commands at battalion level and above;
- To deliver logistical supplies;
- To take part in programmes for the deactivation, removal and destruction of mines;
- To go on leave or seek medical care or for other humanitarian reasons, individually, in civilian clothing and unarmed.
However, ONUSAL shall not grant permission for any movement, even in the above cases, if it believes that such movement could
jeopardize the cease-fire or other aspects of this Agreement or disturb the process of détente and reconciliation. Forces
that leave their locations for the purposes listed in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) shall be accompanied by ONUSAL, which shall verify
that such movements are in keeping with this Agreement.
22. Similarly, during the CAC period ONUSAL liaison officers shall be posted in the listed locations where FMLN
forces are to be concentrated in order to coordinate movements by those forces. FMLN agrees that its forces may leave the locations
in question only with the consent of ONUSAL and for the following purposes:
- To carry out liaison and coordination activities between its high command and the commands of the forces stationed at the
various locations indicated;
- To supply provisions, clothing or vital necessities;
- To take part in programmes for the deactivation, removal and destruction of mines;
- To go on leave or seek medical care or for other humanitarian reasons, individually, in civilian clothing and unarmed.
However, ONUSAL shall not grant permission for any movement, even in the above cases, if it believes that such movement could
jeopardize the cease-fire or other aspects of this Agreement or disturb the process of détente and reconciliation. Forces that leave
their locations for the purposes listed in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) shall be accompanied by ONUSAL, which shall verify that such movements
are in keeping with this Agreement.
23. ONUSAL shall verify that the supplies delivered to each party do not include lethal articles. However,
the FAES shall be allowed to maintain stocks of ammunition normal for peacetime. The mechanisms for such verification shall be
established by the ONUSAL Chief Military Observer in consultation with the two parties.
24. During the cease-fire, COPAZ shall systematically evaluate the progress being made in implementing the Agreements.
If it notes that a situation is developing which might result in a crisis, it shall draw such conclusions and make such recommendations
as may be necessary to prevent a collapse of the cease-fire or a crisis of public order. It shall transmit its conclusions and
recommendations to the Chief of ONUSAL.
25. Should a public order crisis occur despite the above provisions and if the normal means for the maintenance of domestic
peace and public security have been exhausted, with the result that the President of the Republic deems it necessary to make use of the
exceptional measures provided for in the amendment to article 168 (12) of the Constitution adopted in April 1991, the President shall,
before giving the relevant order, inform the Chief of ONUSAL to enable him to make any appropriate remarks. The actions of the FAES under
such circumstances shall be monitored closely by ONUSAL to ensure that they are consistent with all the peace Agreements.
End of the military structure of FMLN and reintegration of its members, within a framework of full legality, into the civil,
institutional and political life of the country
26. Between D-Day + 6 and D-Day + 30, according to the phased programmes referred to in paragraph 14, FMLN shall
concentrate in the 15 designated locations listed in annex D all arms, ammunition, mines, other explosives and military equipment belonging
to its forces, both those concentrated during the first stage in the places listed in annex B
and those belonging to its clandestine forces,
and ONUSAL shall verify that they tally with the information given in the inventories it has received in accordance with paragraph 16.
27. In each of the 15 designated locations, all the arms and equipment mentioned above, save for the personal weapons and
equipment of combatants present in the place, shall be kept in locked warehouses. Each warehouse shall have two locks, one key to
which shall be kept by ONUSAL and the other by the FMLN commander in the place. ONUSAL shall verify the contents of such warehouses
periodically to ensure that there has been no change in them.
28. During the CAC period, FMLN members shall keep their personal weapons and equipment as long as they remain in the
designated locations. When they leave those places in order to be reintegrated, within a framework of full legality, into the civil,
political and institutional life of the country, their personal weapons shall also be deposited in the locked warehouses referred to
in the preceding paragraph. Combatants who are still in the designated locations when the programme for the destruction of arms, etc.
provided for in the next paragraph begins, shall deposit their personal weapons and equipment in the locked warehouses,
for verification by ONUSAL, immediately prior to their destruction according to a programme agreed with ONUSAL.
29. Between 15 and 31 October 1992, FMLN shall destroy all arms and equipment deposited in designated locations
according to the arrangement described above, in the presence and under the sole supervision of ONUSAL and with its
technical advice. Such destruction shall be carried out simultaneously in all 15 places designated for FMLN. FMLN shall
dispose of the remains of the destroyed weapons.
United Nations verification
30. The numbers of ONUSAL military and civilian personnel shall be increased to enable it to fulfil its tasks
related to the agreed processes, as described in this Agreement.
31. The Secretary-General shall request the Security Council to approve this increase in the mandate and personnel
of ONUSAL. He shall also request the General Assembly to provide the necessary funding from the budget. The composition by country of the
military component of ONUSAL and the appointment of the commander of its military division shall be decided by the Security Council
on the recommendation of the Secretary-General, who shall first consult with the two parties. In order to fulfil its new tasks
effectively, ONUSAL will require, as in the other aspects of its mandate, complete freedom of movement throughout the territory of El Salvador.
32. To facilitate the application of this Agreement, a joint working group shall be set up immediately after the
Agreement has been signed. The working group shall consist of the ONUSAL Chief Military Observer, as Chairman, and one representative
from each of the parties. The members of the working group may be accompanied by the necessary advisers. The Chairman of the working
group shall convene its meetings on his own initiative or at the request of either or both of the parties.
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