‘Nicaraguan Obsession’

Your editorial puts in perspective the true nature of our actions in Latin America. I wonder why we cannot see the picture as clearly as does the world around us.

Our Central American allies, our European allies, the World Court, the U.N. Security Council all deplore our violations of international law and the resultant suffering of the people.

Our country was established on the principles of law, justice and respect for the diversity of people; and because of this we are a powerful and free nation. Now we need to extend these ideals to the world, for the continued use of violence can never result in lasting peace and freedom.

The Contadora Group is working toward this end. In 1983, the group issued the Cancun Declaration stating: “The conflicts in Central America present the international community with the dilemma of either resolutely supporting and strengthening the path of political understanding by offering constructive solutions, or passively accepting the accentuation of factors which could lead to extremely dangerous armed confrontations. The use of force is an approach that does not dissolve but aggravates the underlying tensions. Peace in Central America can become a reality only in so far as respect is shown for the basic principles of co-existence among nations: nonintervention; self-determination; sovereign equality of states; cooperation for economic and social development; peaceful settlement of disputes; and free and authentic expression of the popular will.”

I agree with your editorial, and feel each of us should support the Contadora process. We can do that by letting our representatives in government know that is our wish.

JACK WEIL

Woodland Hills