FRENCH DENY NEGOTIATING WITH FARC FOR RELEASE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005741 E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2013 TAGS: PREL PTER CO BR FR SUBJECT: FRENCH DENY NEGOTIATING WITH FARC FOR RELEASE OF INGRID BETANCOURT REF: A. PARIS 5356 ¶B. BRASILIA 2243 CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ALEX WOLFF FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) DURING AN AUGUST 7 MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER VILLEPIN'S CABINET DIRECTOR PIERRE VIMONT ON A RANGE OF ISSUES, CHARGE ASKED DIRECTLY WHETHER FRANCE HAD NEGOTIATED WITH THE FARC IN AN EFFORT TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF FRENCH-COLOMBIAN CITIZEN INGRID BETANCOURT. VIMONT EXPLICITLY DENIED THAT THERE HAD BEEN ANY GOF CONTACT WITH THE FARC. HE SAID THE FRENCH DISPATCH OF A C-130 AIRCRAFT TO MANAUS, BRAZIL HAD BEEN A PURELY HUMANITARIAN MISSION CARRIED OUT AT THE REQUEST OF BETANCOURT'S FAMILY, WHO HAD HAD INDICATIONS THAT THE FARC WAS ON THE POINT OF RELEASING INGRID. ¶2. (C) VIMONT DESCRIBED A SUCCESSION OF EVENTS THAT HAD CAUSED THE GOF TO TAKE A DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO BE HELPFUL TO THE BETANCOURT FAMILY, IF POSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO VIMONT, AT SOME POINT BEFORE THE EARLY JULY DISPATCH OF THE FRENCH C-130 TO MANAUS, THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE BETANCOURT FAMILY RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT INGRID BETANCOURT WOULD BE RELEASED BY THE FARC DUE TO HEALTH CONCERNS. COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT URIBE, WHO, WITH HIS MILITARY STAFF, REPORTEDLY CONSIDERED AN ASSAULT TO FREE BETANCOURT, WAS URGED BY THE BETANCOURT FAMILY TO AVOID AN ATTACK AND TO LET THEM TRY ANOTHER OPTION TO RETRIEVE INGRID. THE FAMILY THEN CAME TO THE GOF WITH A REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE, HOPING TO FLY INGRID OUT OF BRAZIL AFTER THE FARC HAD RELEASED HER TO THEM. VIMONT SAID THAT VILLEPIN HAD NOTIFIED THE URIBE GOVERNMENT OF THIS AS THE OPERATION WAS UNDER WAY, AND THAT THE GOC HAD SUBSEQUENTLY MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THE REASONS FOR THE FRENCH INITIATIVE AND ITS HUMANITARIAN NATURE ("WE ALSO HAVE OUR PROBLEMS FROM THE BETANCOURT FAMILY"). ¶3. (C) VIMONT SAID THAT THE BRAZILIAN PRESS HAD MADE THREE ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING THE AFFAIR: A) THAT FRANCE HAD BEEN PREPARED TO PAY A RANSOM FOR BETANCOURT'S RELEASE; B) THAT THERE HAD BEEN ARMS ABOARD THE PLANE; AND, C) THAT FRANCE HAD TAKEN OUT A FARC COMMANDER ON THE PLANE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT. VIMONT SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING OF THE MISSION AND HE CATEGORICALLY DENIED ALL THREE ALLEGATIONS. HE SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN FOUR EMPTY SEATS ON THE PLANE, BUT THESE HAD BEEN INTENDED FOR INGRID, HER SISTER, A PRIEST WHO ACTED AS INTERMEDIARY FOR THE FAMILY, AND INGRID BETANCOURT'S FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER. WOLFF