U.N. Security Council avoids veto risk

Press, 31 March 1983, Page 6

U.N. Security Council avoids veto risk

NZPA-Reuter New York The Security Council of the United Nations sidestepped the risk of an American veto yesterday by ending a debate on Nicaraguan claims of aggression by Washington-backed guerrillas based in Honduras without adopting a resolution. - More than 50 delegates took part in the five-day debate. Many urged a negotiated settlement, including a meeting of the leaders of Nicaragua, Honduras and other Central American countries. Britain’s Sir John Thomson, the council president for March and one of the

last speakers, also raised ' the possibility of a good offices mission for the United Nations SecretaryGeneral, Mr Javier Perez de Cuellar. But no formal resolution was presented. The United States, as one of the five permanent members of the council, could have vetoed any text it found unacceptable. Nicaragua was apparently unwilling to settle for a mildly-worded draft. Instead, Nicaragua was content to enlist the support of a large number of speakers, mostly from Third World and communist countries. The representative of Nicaragua’s Left-wing revolu-

tionary Government asserted that 2000 supporters of the late dictator Anastasio Somoza had infiltrated from neighbouring Honduras on orders from the American Central Intelligence Agency. While they posed ho military threat, they might be used as a diversion to prepare the way for a largescale invasion aimed at toppling the Managua Government, he said. Honduras denied any role in the fighting, saying that it stemmed from internal repression in Nicaragua and other problems, It also accused Nicaragua of aggressive acts against its neighbours.