The Foreign Ministers of Honduras and Nicaragua, Roberto Flores Berm�dez and Eduardo Montealegre, agreed today to meet again with the Special Representative of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luigi Einaudi, next month at the headquarters of the Central American Integration System (SICA) to continue talks on reducing the current tensions between the two countries.

"All participants agreed that the talks have been positive," said Einaudi, at the conclusion of the two-day talks at OAS headquarters in Washington. "We have had a frank exchange of views and valuable information has been shared."

Although differences remain to be worked out, the OAS envoy said both countries have reaffirmed their strong commitment to settle their differences peacefully and legally.

Einaudi will meet with Foreign Ministers Flores Berm�dez and Montealegre at SICA headquarters in San Salvador, El Salvador, on February 6 and 7 to continue discussing confidence-building measures.

The substance of the maritime boundary issue that has led to tensions between the two countries will be decided by the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Ambassador Einaudi, a retired U.S. diplomat, is helping the two countries develop mechanisms to prevent unintended clashes while the parties wait for a decision from the International Court.

Two weeks ago in Miami, Nicaragua and Honduras agreed, among other things, to define and establish a military exclusion zone in the Caribbean Sea and to immediately freeze, along and near the land border, the presence of military personnel and border posts at the levels that existed on September 1, 1999.

Entire contents � 1999 Organization of American States
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