News In Brief

Contadora group meets to draft peace agreement

Vice foreign ministers of the four Contadora countries met Saturday to work on a draft peace agreement for Central America. Panama's representative said key nations in the region had responded favorably to the proposal.

The draft treaty contains provisions for arms reduction, monitored by international bodies, and for border vigilance commissions. Nicaragua has objected to the monitoring clauses, saying they amount to interference in its sovereign affairs.

The four Contadora countries are Panama, Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia. They first met on the Panamanian island of Contadora in January 1983 to try to find a peaceful solution to conflicts in the region.