Salvadoran President calls on rebels to give up arms

President Jose Napoleon Duarte called on leftist guerrillas to lay down their arms in a first step aimed at restoring peace in this violence-ridden Central American nation. He said that a recent offensive by antigovernment forces had been a failure, but added the government has abstained from proclaiming victory. The week-long offensive by antigovernment forces ended last weekend with an unofficial death toll of 1,000. But claims by leftist leaders said the present lull was a tactical retreat by the guerrillas.