The Tico Times Online

New Era of Fraternity" President Abel Pacheco with Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolaños at yesterday's summit of Central American Presidents.
TT/Photo Julio Laínez

C.R., Nicaragua Make Advances on Border Issues
By Tim Rogers
Tico Times Staff
Building on the new "good blood" relationship between President Abel Pacheco and his Nicaraguan counterpart, Enrique Bolaños, the two governments took advantage of Thursday's summit of Central American Presidents here to sign a seven-point accord agreeing to solve all bilateral problems through dialogue- not courts - and ease the flow of people across the shared border.
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High Hopes for Educator's Congress
By Benjamin Witte
Tico Times Staff
Organizers of the upcoming First National Education Congress are hoping next week's event will provide Costa Rica's teachers, students, parents and education policy-makers a unique opportunity to identify problems facing the nation's educational system and recommend concrete strategies for improving the quality of coverage of Costa Rican schools.
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Alemán and Cohorts Not Playing Nice
MANAGUA (AFP) - A group of Liberal Constitutional Party congressman loyal to defrocked former President Arnoldo Alemán caused a scene during Thursday's Parliamentary session, screaming at the opposition, hurling insults and banging their hands on the tables.
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Rally for Peace!
Public Demonstration against U.S. Intervention in Iraq
Wed. Oct. 2, 10:00 a.m. to noon in front of the U.S. Embassy in Pavas

C.R., Nicaragua Make Advances on Border Issues
By Tim Rogers
Tico Times Staff
Building on the new "good blood" relationship between President Abel Pacheco and his Nicaraguan counterpart, Enrique Bolaños, the two governments took advantage of Thursday's summit of Central American Presidents here to sign a seven-point accord agreeing to solve all bilateral problems through dialogue- not courts - and ease the flow of people across the shared border.

The two countries announced they will eliminate border-crossing fees for all Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans living in the border zone (the dimensions of which have not been defined yet), and work toward eliminating all fees related to visas, tourist cards and other immigration services by the beginning of next year. The bilateral agreement between the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan governments will not affect people of other nationalities.

The Nicaraguan government also announced it will put a three-year freeze on its case filed against Costa Rica in the International Justice Court at the Hague regarding the Ticos' navigation rights on the Río San Juan.

Asked by The Tico Times if this decision means the four-year-old disagreement over the Río San Juan has now been resolved, Costa Rican Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar replied: "For the most part, yes."

Tovar explained that the other points of the accord have to do with economic integration, joint-development initiatives in the shared border area, and bilateral cooperation in other areas.

"This the beginning of a new era of fraternity and dialogue between our two neighboring countries," Tovar told The Tico Times.

Despite the advances, the two governments did not touch on the potentially sticky topic of border marker "13-A," which a group of Costa Ricans claim is misplaced 3.5 miles too far inside Tico territory, giving Nicaragua a large chunk of Costa Rican territory (TT, July 26). Nor did the governments discuss streamlining the horribly inefficient bureaucracy at the Peñas-Blancas border crossing.

The five Central American countries participating in Thursday's summit signed a flurry of accords supporting Bolaños in his anti-corruption campaign, agreeing to strengthen the Regional Commission of Electricity Interconnection, develop a regional action plan to combat hunger - including the use of "food bonds" to help the isthmus' 600,000 in need of food - fight regional corruption and modernize the Central American Integration Bank (BCIE)

The five countries are also each asking the BCIE for a $500,000 unconditioned grant to "help in the process" of preparing for the region's future free-trade agreement with the United States.

High Hopes for Educator's Congress
By Benjamin Witte
Tico Times Staff
Organizers of the upcoming First National Education Congress are hoping next week's event will provide Costa Rica's teachers, students, parents and education policy-makers a unique opportunity to identify problems facing the nation's educational system and recommend concrete strategies for improving the quality of coverage of Costa Rican schools.

For Gabriel Macaya, University of Costa Rica Rector who together with his colleagues from the nation's other public universities and members of the Professional Teacher's Association organized this year's conference under the banner "for a renewed education," the event will provide a forum for participants to discuss problems affecting not only the educational system, but society as a whole.

"The central problems facing education are nothing less than the central problems of the country's development, of society and of democracy," Macaya explained during a press conference to announce the first-time event.

The four-day National Education Congress, which opens Wednesday, will be held in the Franklin Chang Díaz building in Pavas, the headquarters of the National Council of Rectors. For more information, call 224-8857, or visit www.conare.ac.cr.

Fifteen minutes into the session, the naughty deputies - including Alemán - began their temper tantrum in an effort to prevent the session from moving forward.

At one point, several of the Liberal lawmakers jumped up and down in front of the new Legislative Directorate and yelled threats. The childish protests stemmed from the Arnoldistas claim that the new Directorate came to power illegally (see today's TT Central America News).