FARC RESISTS RE-STARTING TALKS/SLAMS U.N.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 010584

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/11
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PGOV, CO
SUBJ: FARC RESISTS RE-STARTING TALKS/SLAMS U.N.

1. CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR ANNE W. PATTERSON; REASONS
1.5 B,D.

2. (C) SUMMARY: DESPITE A SERIES OF ATTEMPTS SINCE MID-
NOVEMBER BY UNSYG OUTGOING REPRESENTATIVE JAN EGELAND,
GOC PEACE COMMISSIONER CAMILO GOMEZ, AND AMBASSADORS FROM
THE "GROUP OF FACILITATORS" COUNTRIES TO RE-START PEACE
TALKS WITH THE FARC, THE LATTER REMAIN INTRANSIGENT IN
THEIR DEMANDS. THE FARC LEADERSHIP HAS STATED REPEATEDLY
THAT THEY WILL NOT NEGOTIATE UNTIL THE GOC RELAXES ITS
CONTROLS OVER THE "DESPEJE," ESPECIALLY THE ENTRY OF
THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS SYMPATHETIC TO THE FARC AND
COLOMBIAN MILITARY OVERFLIGHTS. FARC SUPREME COMMANDER
MARULANDA HAS INVITED COLOMBIAN POLITICAL, JUDICIAL AND
BUSINESS LEADERS TO A JANUARY 15, 2001 MEETING IN THE
"DESPEJE" TO CLARIFY WHAT THE COLOMBIAN ESTABLISHMENT IS
WILLING TO NEGOTIATE. END SUMMARY.

3. (U) ON NOVEMBER 26, FARC SUPREME COMMANDER MANUEL
MARULANDA SENT A LETTER THROUGH GOC PEACE COMMISSIONER
CAMILO GOMEZ TO PRESIDENT PASTRANA, IN WHICH HE ARGUES
THAT THE GOC HAS TAKEN ALL CONCRETE "NEGOTIABLES" OFF THE
TABLE, INCLUDING PLAN COLOMBIA, AERIAL ERADICATION OF
ILLICIT CROPS, THE ELECTORAL CALENDAR, PRISONER
EXCHANGES, AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES SUBSCRIBED BY
COLOMBIA ON ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, JUDICIAL ISSUES, AND
EXTRADITION.

4. (U) MARULANDA CONCLUDES THAT THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO
NEGOTIATE WITH THE GOC, AND CALLS FOR A MEETING ON
JANUARY 15, 2002 IN THE FARC "DEMILITARIZED ZONE"
("DESPEJE") WITH THE SENATE AND HOUSE SPEAKERS, THE
SUPREME AND CONSTITUTIONAL COURT PRESIDENTS, THE CHAMBERS
OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY PRESIDENTS, AND THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH HIERARCHY. HE STATED HE EXPECTS THIS GROUP TO
EXPLAIN TO HIM "EXACTLY WHAT IS NEGOTIABLE."

5. (U) MARULANDA'S LETTER FOLLOWS A SERIES OF LARGELY
UNSUCCESSFUL MEETINGS IN THE "DESPEJE" WITH UNSYG
COLOMBIA REPRESENTATIVE JAN EGELAND, GOC PEACE
COMMISSIONER CAMILO GOMEZ, AND EU AND INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS, RESPECTIVELY. ON NOVEMBER 16, THE
FARC REFUSED JAN EGELAND'S REQUEST TO MEET IN THE
DESPEJE. INSTEAD, FARC SPOKESMAN RAUL REYES SENT EGELAND
A LETTER STATING THAT EGELAND WOULD NOT BE GIVEN AN
AUDIENCE UNTIL THE GOC LIFTED AN ORDER PROHIBITING FREE
ENTRY OF THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS INTO THE DESPEJE AS WELL
AS OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF THE ZONE.

6. (C) SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE FARC CHANGED ITS MIND AND
MET ON NOVEMBER 22 WITH EGELAND AND NEWLY-DESIGNATED
UNSYG COLOMBIA REPRESENTATIVE JAMES LEMOYNE IN THE
"DESPEJE." ALTHOUGH EGELAND TOLD LOCAL PRESS THAT BOTH
SIDES STILL HAVE THE WILL TO MOVE THE PROCESS FORWARD,
EMBASSY CONTACTS SAID THAT THE MEETING WAS DIFFICULT AT
BEST, AND THAT FARC INTERLOCUTORS RAUL REYES AND JOAQUIN
GOMEZ TOLD EGELAND AND LEMOYNE IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT
TALKS COULD NOT PROCEED SO LONG AS THE GOC MAINTAINS ITS
NEW, TIGHTER CONTROLS OVER THE "DESPEJE." ON NOVEMBER
23, CAMILO GOMEZ MET WITH REYES AND GOMEZ, AND WAS
REPORTEDLY GIVEN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME MESSAGE -- RELAX
CONTROL OVER THE ZONE AND THEN WE'LL SEE.

7. (C) ON NOVEMBER 25, A DELEGATION OF "GROUP OF
FACILITATORS" AMBASSADORS MET WITH REYES AND GOMEZ IN THE
"DESPEJE." ON NOVEMBER 26, A FOREIGN DIPLOMAT WHO WAS
PRESENT AT THE MEETING TOLD POL/ECONCOUNS THAT THE
ATMOSPHERICS WERE "VERY FORMAL," THAT REYES AND GOMEZ
HAMMERED AT THE GOC SECURITY CONTROLS OVER THE DESPEJE,
ESPECIALLY THE OVERFLIGHTS, AND THAT THEY WERE FIRM ON
THEIR POSITION THAT CONTROLS HAVE TO BE RELAXED.

8. (C) THE DIPLOMAT SAID THE AMBASSADORS, LED BY FRENCH
AMBASSADOR PARFAIT (FRANCE IS NOW CHAIR OF THE "GROUP OF
FACILITATORS," UNDER A ROTATING CHAIR SYSTEM),TOLD THE
FARC THAT THE EU WILL MEET IN DECEMBER TO DISCUSS THE
ISSUE OF FARC VISAS AND EXPLAINED THAT SOME MEMBERS WERE
ADVOCATING A HARD LINE BASED ON THE FARC KIDNAPPINGS OF
FOREIGNERS. ASKED WHETHER THE GROUP HAD GIVEN THE FARC
AN "ULTIMATUM" CALLING FOR THE FARC TO CHANGE ITS TACTICS
OR LOSE THE VISAS, THE DIPLOMATS ANSWERED THAT NEITHER AN
"ULTIMATUM," NOR A HARD MESSAGE HAD BEEN DELIVERED BY THE
EU.

9. (C) THE DIPLOMAT SAID THAT THE GROUP ASKED THE FARC
TO MAKE SOME TYPE OF "GESTURE" THAT WOULD HELP ADVANCE
THE PEACE PROCESS. IN THE END, THE FARC MADE NO PROMISES
TO EITHER MAKE A "GESTURE" OR TO AGREE TO A BROADER
MEETING WITH THE GOC NEGOTIATING TEAM AND FACILITATORS.
INSTEAD, THE FARC COMPLAINED THAT SUCH A MEETING WAS
UNLIKELY UNTIL/UNLESS THE GOC LIFTS SOME OF ITS SECURITY
CONTROLS. THE DIPLOMAT SAID THAT, INSTEAD, REYES AND
GOMEZ USED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAIL AGAINST THE UNITED
NATIONS, WHICH THEY CHARACTERIZED AS AN UNREPRESENTATIVE
BODY BECAUSE "SOCIALIST COUNTRIES ARE NOT FAIRLY
REPRESENTED IN IT."

10. (C) COMMENT: THE FARC LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO PLAY
BRINKMANSHIP WITH THE PEACE PROCESS. THEY HAVE NOT
BUDGED AT ALL IN THEIR DEMAND THAT THE GOC RELAX ITS
CONTROLS OVER THE "DESPEJE," BEFORE TALKS CAN RESUME.
THE FARC LIKELY FEELS VULNERABLE TO THE COLOMBIAN
SECURITY FORCES' ADDED SURVEILLANCE OF THE ZONE, WHICH
THEY BELIEVE ADVERSELY IMPACTS THEIR ABILITY TO USE THE
ZONE AS A REPOSITORY FOR KIDNAP VICTIMS AND STOLEN CATTLE
AND VEHICLES; A REST AND RECUPERATION AND TRAINING AREA
FOR COMBATANTS, AND A COCA GROWING ZONE. MARULANDA'S
LATEST OFFER TO DELAY TALKS UNTIL NEXT JANUARY 15 IS
PROBABLY INTENDED TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE GOC AND THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY (ESPECIALLY THE EUROPEANS) TO
EASE UP ON CONTROLS OVER THE "DESPEJE" AND ON THE EU'S
POSSIBLE REVOCATION OF VISAS TO LEVERAGE THE FARC.


PATTERSON


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