White House heartened by turnout for El Salvador's election

American officials were surprised and delighted with the large voter turnout in El Salvador. But they are uncertain as to what comes next in the political process in that Central American country.

A State Department official reiterated the US position that American support for whatever political coalition emerges from the Salvadoran election will depend on continuation of the economic reforms that the current regime in El Salvador had instituted.

''We would still expect them to support the reforms,'' the official said.

White House spokesman Larry Speakes hailed the election and said, ''It represents the failure of the guerrillas'' to disrupt the election.