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


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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)

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Summary
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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.

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GOC-ELN Talks Resume, Mostly Administrative Business
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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.

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ELN Military Commander Arrived Tense, Departed Relaxed
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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).

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Venue Issues
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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.

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Bio Note
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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

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