World Notes

The first meeting in the town of La Palma last October was called a historic step toward peace in El Salvador. The second public session, in the village of Ayagualo in November, was considered a major disappointment. Since then, Salvadoran President Jose Napoleon Duarte has said little about peace talks between his government and the Marxist-led guerrillas of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front. But last week Duarte casually told journalists that his government was taking cautious steps to resume the stalled dialogue.

Preliminary contacts to set up the talks, Duarte revealed, are now being arranged in Costa Rica with the help of the Roman Catholic Church. A preparatory meeting, the President said, could be held before he visits the U.S. on May 16. Duarte's seeming confidence is undoubtedly bolstered by the fact that the country's volatile right wing is at its weakest in years and that Salvadoran military leaders are apparently lending him strong support. Indeed, the only criticism of his announcement came from the rebels, who accused Duarte of "irresponsible acts," most likely meaning he had not kept the talks a secret.