ACCESSION NUMBER:296000
FILE ID:LEF319
DATE:07/21/93
TITLE:CIVILIAN CONTROL OF MILITARY MAJOR ISSUE IN NICARAGUA (07/21/93)
TEXT:*93072119.LEF
*LEF319 07/21/93*
CIVILIAN CONTROL OF MILITARY MAJOR ISSUE IN NICARAGUA
(Maisto confirmation hearing 7/21) lf (650)
(Spanish coming)
By Louise Fenner
USIA Staff Writer
WASHINGTON -- Civilian control of the military "is probably the most
important single issue that exists in Nicaragua today," John Maisto, the
nominee for U.S. ambassador to Nicaragua, told a Senate confirmation
hearing.
He said civilian control must encompass not just the armed forces in
Nicaragua but all security forces -- including the intelligence sector and
the police -- as well as the justice system.
Maisto told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee July 21 that "we have let
the government know in no uncertain terms our views following the discovery
of the arms cache" in Managua, referring to the discovery of a clandestine
cache of missiles and other weapons linked to the Farabundo Marti National
Liberation Front (FMLN) of El Salvador.
"We expect the government of Nicaragua to investigate that matter; we expect
strong measures to be taken against those who are responsible for it. We
expect progress to be made with regard to full civilian control of the
military."
Maisto indicated that he believes the Nicaraguan military and security
sectors were aware of the arms cache.
Addressing the issue of property claims, Maisto noted that 117 cases
involving property confiscated by the former Sandinista government have
been totally or partially resolved out of some 1,000 outstanding cases.
"That's forward movement, but it's painfully slow," he said.
Human rights violations also "are a key problem in Nicaragua," Maisto told
the committee, noting that the Tripartite Commission is investigating
reported violations and has completed two reports. "It's up to the
government of Nicaragua to take action," he said. "They still have a lot
to do in that area, and it is something we have to watch very closely."
"The primary problem in Nicaragua, in my view, is political -- they cannot
seem to sit down and sort out their political problems. They are going to
have to do it. Only they can solve their political problems.... We want to
help, but it is their responsibility."
If a political resolution isn't found, Maisto said, Nicaragua "could have
1ostilities" that exceed the sporadic incidents of violence that now occur.
"Nicaraguans realize that."
The senators were highly complimentary to Maisto and to Alan Flanigan, the
nominee for U.S. ambassador to El Salvador. Sen. Christopher Dodd
(D-Conn.), who chaired the hearing, indicated that both nominations were
likely to be approved by the committee the following week. The full Senate
will then have to vote on the nominations.
However, Sens. Jesse Helms and Paul Coverdell, republicans from North
Carolina and Georgia, respectively, used the hearing as an opportunity to
criticize the Nicaraguan government on issues such as the power of the
military, the progress of land claims settlements, and the investigation of
human rights abuses.
They warned that unless property claims and other problems are resolved,
there is "no incentive" for foreign investment in Nicaragua. Helms
repeated his opposition to any form of aid to the government of President
Violeta Barios de Chamorro as long as, in his words, "the Sandinistas are
running the country." Coverdell said the Chamorro government "is facing a
power it cannot control" in the form of Nicaragua's military.
Even Sen. Dodd, a strong supporter of aid to Nicaragua, said the problems
there are making it harder to argue for continued aid when the United
States is trying to cut its deficit. He indicated his belief that the
Nicaraguan military and intelligence sectors knew about the FMLN arms
cache.
"When caches of arms of significant size are found and there are problems
with civilian control -- even for supporters like myself it gets awfully
hard to make a case" for foreign aid," Dodd said.
"That message needs to be carried back (to Nicaragua)," he told Maisto.
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