ABSTRACT
In the congressional debate on Central America, the Contadora initiative has been widely embraced by Democrats, Republicans, conservatives and liberals, proponents and opponents of President Reagan’s Central America policies. And it is easy to see why: Contadora provides for the peaceful settlement of the regional conflict through a negotiating framework constructed by the United States’ major democratic allies in Latin America. Because the concept of the peaceful resolution of disputes is so appealing, members of Congress of widely divergent political persuasions could claim support for Contadora’s objectives without compromising their basic positions on Central America.
