Statement on the Situation in El Salvador

October 10, 1984

I congratulate President Duarte for his great courage and foresight. His offer Monday to sit down next week with the guerrillas without preconditions and without arms to discuss their participation in the democratic system in El Salvador is an act of statesmanship. I applaud his leadership and support his decision. It appears as though the guerrillas have accepted President Duarte's offer. If only the commandantes in Nicaragua would make the same offer to the resistance forces there, we would all be much closer to true peace in Central America.