Nicaragua’s Ortega to Discuss Foes’ Election Demands

President Daniel Ortega, acting at the behest of Latin American leaders, agreed Friday to open talks with all his adversaries in next year’s Nicaraguan elections on their demands for legal and political changes to guarantee a fair campaign.

Ortega announced the decision in San Jose, Costa Rica, after a full day of talks with Oscar Arias Sanchez, that country’s president. In doing so, the Sandinista leader reversed his position that Nicaraguan laws governing the elections and the news media are unalterable.

“I am going to open a dialogue with all parties that ratify their will to take part in the election . . . with the aim of strengthening the electoral process,” Ortega told a joint press conference broadcast live in both countries.

‘Clear Away Suspicions’

“In this way, we can clear away all suspicions” about the fairness of the elections “and weaken those who want to thwart (them) and deny Nicaragua peace,” he added.

The Costa Rican leader hailed the announcement as a “very positive and constructive step” to comply with Central American agreements he has promoted in an effort to end the U.S.-backed Contra insurgency in Nicaragua.

“The important thing is his readiness to start this dialogue, a dialogue that hasn’t occurred in Nicaragua,” Arias said. “This fills us with optimism.”

The decision was also urged upon Ortega by Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez, who met with him last week. Arias and Perez have been pressing anti-Sandinista parties to take part in the elections next Feb. 25, promising diplomatic muscle to keep them as clean as possible.

On the eve of Friday’s meeting, the 14-party Nicaraguan Opposition Union, the main anti-Sandinista coalition, formally committed itself to the race but insisted again on negotiating campaign conditions.

Among the coalition’s demands are suspension of the military draft, amnesty for several thousand anti-Sandinista prisoners, opposition control of a television station, several changes in the election law and “recomposition” of the five-member council that enforces it. The opposition accuses the council of pro-Sandinista bias.

Ortega indicated that he will resist such sweeping changes. He said he is willing to make only “some adjustments and refinements” in the two laws enacted in April by the Sandinista-controlled National Assembly.

But by opening formal discussions, Ortega said he is seeking an “agreement” on electoral conditions. Before the current laws were passed, he consulted opposition parties one by one, then ignored most of their demands.

Talks to Start Soon

Talks with the 14-party bloc and seven other opposition groups are expected to start before Arias and Ortega meet Aug. 5 with the presidents of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to review progress on the peace accord they signed in February.

That agreement said they would devise a plan by May 15 to disarm U.S.-backed Nicaraguan rebels in Honduras, in return for electoral guarantees in Nicaragua. But no such plan has been adopted, largely because of the Bush Administration’s insistence on keeping the Contra forces intact through the elections.

The Administration, echoing Nicaraguan opposition complaints, has accused the Sandinistas of violating their part of the peace accord and trying to rig the election process in their favor.

As Ortega returned home Friday evening, Arias dined with Bernard Aronson, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for inter-American affairs, who is touring Central America.

Without calling publicly for prompt disarmament of the rebels, Arias told reporters he would raise the issue with the American visitor in light of Ortega’s new commitment.