
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 1, 1990                   TAG: 9007010074
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS                                LENGTH: Short

NICARAGUA CASE DELAYED

Nicaragua has asked the World Court to postpone hearings on a demand by the country's former Sandinista government for reparation payments from the United States, a spokeswoman said Saturday.

The new U.S.-backed Nicaraguan government last week informed the court it would be "extremely inconvenient" to pursue the case in the coming months, according to a statement released by the court.

In response, World Court President Jose Maria Ruda of Argentina agreed not to fix a date for the reparations hearings.

In 1986, the court issued a ruling condemning U.S. support for the Contra rebels that for nine years fought to overthrow Nicaragua's then-Sandinista government, and ordering the payment of reparations.

Nicaragua asked for $12.2 billion in damages in a confidential March 1988 submission to the court, according to a diplomatic source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The United States has denied the court's jurisdiction in the case and boycotted the proceedings in protest.

President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro took office in Managua on April 25 after defeating the former leftist government in elections two months earlier. Chamorro received heavy backing from Washington.

In its 1986 ruling, the court said U.S. activities, including the reported mining of Nicaraguan waters in 1984 by the CIA, were violations of international law.

by CNB