UN General Assembly
1997

the areas of democratization and respect for human rights, and also to meet the priority needs of Salvadoran society. We Salvadorans are dedicated to building a new El Salvador, attacking at their root causes of poverty and social marginalization and promoting a fairer and more equitable society. The successful conclusion of the peace processes in Nicaragua, El Salvador and, recently, Guatemala and the establishment of democratic Governments have created a situation conducive to regional stability, transforming Central America into a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development. Central America has made great progress in demilitarization and in the strengthening of civil society, holding free, transparent and pluralist elections; integrating former combatants into national political processes; strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law; and implementing a development programme whose central focus is the human being. In the face of globalization and the processes of economic openness and regionalization, we need to be even more creative in tackling present and future challenges. For this reason we are reviewing the Central American institutional system so as to make it possible