Sandinistas and Rebels Hopeful on Talks

The Sandinista government and the U.S.-backed Contras expressed optimism as they prepared for high-level negotiations in Managua after reporting “considerable progress” Friday in cease-fire talks in the southern town of Sapoa.

Opening of the Managua talks, scheduled for Friday night, was delayed when the Contras’ plane was late, reportedly due to mechanical problems in Costa Rica. Earlier Friday, the two sides indicated that agreement on many technical issues of a cease-fire had been reached in Sapoa, 90 miles from Managua. They agreed to continue the technical discussion in Managua.

Details of the Sapoa talks were not made public immediately, but in a joint communique, the Contra and Sandinista delegates said “considerable progress” had been made on reconciling earlier differences.

Protests Banned

In Managua, the Interior Ministry banned all demonstrations and alcohol sales around Sandino International Airport and a hotel where the Contras were to stay. The ministry also closed the main road to the airport.

The actions were taken after leftist demonstrators pelted a newspaper building with rocks Friday to protest the publication’s pro-rebel stand. The offices of the opposition paper, La Prensa, are about two miles from the airport.

The demonstration was conducted by 300 teen-agers who said they are members of a group called Sandinista Youth. Witnesses who insisted on anonymity said that several demonstrators threw rocks at the building and that a young man was slightly injured by a pail thrown from the roof.

The high-level Sandinista-Contra talks could set the stage for an end to the six-year war that has claimed thousands of lives.

Tenuous Cease-Fire

A tenuous, 60-day cease-fire has been in force since April 1 as part of an accord that the two sides reached in earlier talks in Sapoa on March 23. Under that agreement, the Contras would gather in cease-fire zones until a permanent truce was negotiated.

However, the two sides were unable to agree on important technical issues such as verification, how the rebels would be resupplied or whether they should be allowed to keep their weapons.

As part of the deal, the Sandinistas released 100 political prisoners and rebels and pledged to gradually release hundreds more as the Contras gather in the cease-fire zones.

The entire process has been marked by bickering, with each side accusing the other of violating the accord. Each side threatened to cancel the talks several times. However, by Friday, they finally were able to compromise on most points.

Friday’s talks in Managua were to mark the first time since the war began that the Sandinistas have allowed Contra leaders to openly come to Managua.

Apparently, the toughest unresolved issue concerns weapons. The Sandinistas have insisted that the rebels give up their weapons before they can participate in the country’s political activities.

Some Contra leaders say they will never disarm, and others say they will do so only when the Nicaragua moves to democracy.

The cease-fire is called for under a regional peace plan that was authored by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez and signed last August by five Central American nations.