Nicaragua's neighbors condemn its buildup

Foreign ministers of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador condemned Nicaragua's arms buildup as a threat to regional peace and asked the Nicaraguan government not to interfere with its neighbors' internal affairs.

The denunciation came in a communique released at the end of a two-day meeting here. The declaration gave no details, but officials from the participating countries had previously said the Nicaraguan armaments program, partly backed by the Soviet bloc, far surpassed the leftist-ruled nation's legitimate defense needs.

Nicaragua reacted to its neighbors' denunciation with the accusation that they are plotting with the United States to undermine its leftist revolution.