GOC-ELN TALKS RESUME APRIL 26 IN HAVANA, REAL

id: 61890 date: 4/26/2006 17:18 refid: 06BOGOTA3701 origin: Embassy Bogota classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: 06BOGOTA3252 header: VZCZCXYZ0027 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHBO #3701/01 1161718 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 261718Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4437 INFO RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1102 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 6743 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 7620 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR 7925 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 3669 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 9010 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0313 RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 9089 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 4312 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0084 -------------- header ends -------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003701 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINR CO SUBJECT: GOC-ELN TALKS RESUME APRIL 26 IN HAVANA, REAL PROGRESS POSSIBLE ONLY AFTER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION REF: BOGOTA 3252 Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood Reason: 1.4 (b,d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) GOC-ELN civil society guarantor Moritz Akerman said the third round of GOC-ELN exploratory talks will resume in Havana April 26, and go through April 29. The parties will discuss administrative business only, leaving substantive discussions to after the May 28 presidential election (most likely late June). Akerman said ELN military commander and negotiator Antonio Garcia arrived recently to Medellin from Cuba "tense and distrusting," wearing a bullet-proof vest, but left happy and anxious to return. Akerman said the ELN and the guarantors want to move the talks from Cuba and Garcia asked the guarantors to explore with the GOC the option of Panama. End summary. -------------- -------------- GOC-ELN Talks Resume, Mostly Administrative Business -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Akerman told D/polcouns on April 25 that the third round of GOC-ELN exploratory talks will resume in Havana on April 26-29. This date replaces the scheduled May 2-12 talks. Akerman explained that the parties (principally the GOC) want to avoid discussing a substantive agenda until after the May 28 presidential election, and therefore this round would be administrative only. The guarantors as a group would not be present. (Akerman said guarantor Alejo Vargas planned to attend "in his individual capacity," and we understand the three "accompanying countries" - Spain, Norway, and Switzerland - will attend.) Akerman expects the next round to be in late June, after a theoretical June 18 second round presidential run-off. -------------- -------------- ELN Military Commander Arrived Tense, Departed Relaxed -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Akerman said Garcia arrived in Medellin from Havana for the recent ELN-civil society consultations (via civil charter aircraft from Caracas) "tense and distrusting." He was wearing a bullet-proof vest and the ELN team carried lots of canned food to avoid poisoning attempts (reftel). Garcia initially refused to eat food offered to him and served to other participants in the Casa de Paz process. ¶4. (C) After several days of interacting with community leaders (120),labor officials (80),students (450),and business people (8),Akerman said Garcia was "content, happy, more trusting, with a desire to return." He ate the food served to others, and drank wine the guarantors offered him, without insisting that someone try it first. Akerman said on the plane back to Caracas Garcia took him aside and said, "tienes que volverme a traer pronto" (you have to bring me back soon). -------------- Venue Issues -------------- ¶5. (C) Akerman reported that Garcia told the guarantors the ELN wants out of Cuba, and Garcia told Akerman the guarantors should explore the possibility of holding the talks in Panama. The guarantors plan to raise this possibility with Gabriel Garcia Marquez, he said. Akerman said Garcia regards as too tough Cuban pressure to link the talks to future GOC talks with the FARC. The guarantors are united in wanting the talks moved from Havana, but recognize the value to the GOC of keeping them there. In Akerman's view, this matter will be discussed in more depth with the GOC after the May 28 presidential election. -------------- Bio Note -------------- ¶6. (C) Akerman described Garcia as "very vain," recounting a shopping trip in which Garcia had the Casa de Paz (funded by Norway and Switzerland) buy him $1,000 in clothes. Garcia insisted on getting an Yves St. Laurent suit, sports jacket, and pants ("it had to be Yves St. Laurent, he would not accept anything less," said Akerman). WOOD =======================CABLE ENDS============================