CLINTON SIGNS ON TO NEW ERA IN CENTRAL AMERICA

Leaders At Summit Target Social And Economic Ills

ANTIGUA, Guatemala -- Marking a new chapter of democracy, peace and
economic alliance in Central America, President Clinton and regional
leaders signed a declaration yesterday to work more closely on issues
ranging from hurricane recovery to lowering trade barriers.

At a summit with Central American presidents in this colonial town,
Clinton said the United States also remained committed to helping
improve the environment in the region, reduce drug trafficking and
create fairer immigration laws.

And Clinton promised to continue to help nations recover from the
destruction caused last fall by Hurricane Mitch.

"We have come together in this old capital to find new solutions," he
said. "Our challenge is to consolidate the remarkable achievements of
Central America in the last decade, to build on them and accelerate
them."

Wrapping up a four-country tour, Clinton met with the presidents of
Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the
Dominican Republic as well as with the prime minister of Belize. He
flew back to Washington last night.

The leaders signed an agreement that broadly pledges to improve human
rights, fight crime and strengthen the region's economic base. The
document required 37 drafts before yesterday's signing because some
Central American leaders reportedly were unhappy that the United
States did not commit to more generous policies on immigration and
trade.

The Clinton administration has submitted an emergency aid bill to
Congress that would provide $956 million in reconstruction money and
debt forgiveness and to amend the Caribbean Basin Initiative to lower
tariffs on textile exports from the region. Both measures require
congressional approval.

Many Central American leaders, however, were hoping for more, such as
a free-trade type agreement like the one Mexico currently has with the
United States and Canada. Clinton aides acknowledged that the
countries have demonstrated a need for more capital and investment,
but that the measures Clinton offered were the best given Washington's
resistance to removing trade barriers.

The leaders also asked for more liberal immigration policies in the
United States that would treat all Central American immigrants the
same, something Clinton agreed to do. They expressed gratitude that a
U.S. president had given so much attention to their region and had
supported their efforts to strengthen their emerging
democracies.

"If we want democracy to remain forever, we must be sure it is
translated into evident and tangible benefits for everyone," said
Guatemalan President Alvaro Arzu.

A few protests failed to disrupt yesterday's meeting. About 100
demonstrators temporarily blocked the main mountain road into Antingua
demanding that American-owned banana companies in the region rehire
workers laid off because of hurricane-damaged harvests.

Part of the goal of this visit was to portray the United States as a
more cooperative partner rather than the giant Cold War battler
against leftist insurgencies during the 1980s.

Clinton visited hurricane-ravaged areas in Nicaragua and Honduras, met
with a newly elected president in El Salvador and participated in
several round-table discussions with community activists. At one such
session in Guatemala on Wednesday, Clinton apologized for U.S. support
of the former right-wing government during the country's 36-year civil
war that killed 200,000 people.

Although a United Nations-sponsored truth commission confirmed the
CIA's role in the war, Clinton's remarks were the first time an
American president had directly addressed the country's role in those
killings.

The administration announced it would double its commitment to support
environmental initiatives signed during a previous summit in Miami in
1994. The funds, totaling $25 million over five years, would be used
for improving forest conservation and reducing air pollution.

U.S. officials also said money would be provided for disaster
mitigation, eliminating child labor and helping street children.