News In Brief

Salvadorean land reform qualifies for aid: Shultz

Secretary of State George Shultz certified to Congress Wednesday that, ''despite violent opposition from both left and right,'' El Salvador's government has made significant land reform progress and hence is entitled to receive full US military aid this year.

Mr. Shultz told Congress that more than 23 percent of El Salvador's farmland has been turned over to 92,000 tenants and farm cooperative members under land reform.

Shultz's assessment stands in sharp contrast to a report to the Democratic Policy Committee of the Senate, which says ''land reform is being killed in El Salvador.'' That report said the program is being hindered by landlords withholding credit and by marketing authorities who refuse to buy crops from the small landowners.