Arias To Meet Ortega in
Nicaragua Today
The presidents of Costa
Rica, Oscar Arias, and
Nicaragua counterpart,
Daniel Ortega, are
expected to meet today
in Managua to discuss
the differences between
the countries over the
navigations rights of
the San Juan river.
Arias is visiting
Nicaragua on a "private"
visit, accepting an
invitation by the
Cardinal and Archbishop
of Managua, Miguel
Obando, who presides
over the "Consejo de Paz
y Reconciliación"
(council for peace and
reconciliation) of the
Sandinista government.
Nicarauguan Chancellor,
Samuel Santos, said that
the occasion is a good
moment for both
president to meet and
continue discussions in
an informal way.
Arias and Ortega have
yet to meet since Ortega
took office last
January. The two men
have a common history.
The meeting today is to
celebrate the 20th
anniversary of the
Esquipulas peace accord
of 1987 when Arias,
Ortega and three other
presidents of the
regions signed the
agreement which brought
peace to Central
America.
Arias and Ortega, and
Vinicio Cerezo of
Guatemala, are the only
ones of the original
group who alive and will
be present at today's
ceremony.
A similar ceremony was
held in Costa Rica
earlier this month.
Ortega did not make the
reunion in Costa Rica,
busy with the visit of
Brazil's president Lula
to Nicaragua.
Arias received the 1987
Nobel Peace prize for
his participation in the
accord.
This will be the first
meeting between Arias
and Ortega, 17 years
after Ortega led the
revolution in Nicaragua
during the 1980's.
The meeting between the
two presidents is to
take place at the
Universidad Católica de
Nicaragua (UNICA)
directed by Obando and
an Ortega ally for the
last three years.
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