GOC-ELN CIVIL SOCIETY GUARANTOR REVEALS ELN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 005496 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2016 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV CO SUBJECT: GOC-ELN CIVIL SOCIETY GUARANTOR REVEALS ELN PROPOSAL, CORRESPONDENCE Classified By: CDA Milton K. Drucker Reason: 1.4 (b,d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) GOC-ELN civil society guarantor Moritz Akerman said the ELN wants to declare a unilateral 6-month cease-fire before the fourth round of talks with the GOC on August 12. Within 90 days of the cease-fire, the ELN would release all its kidnap victims, to be verified by an independent commission. The ELN is seeking USD 18 million from Norway for the initial 6 month period, a proposal that Akerman and fellow guarantor Alvaro Jimenez will make to the Norwegian MFA on or about June 21 (a trip the GOC approved). Akerman also described paramilitary efforts to form an "alliance" with the ELN. End summary. -------------- ELN Proposal for Norway -------------- ¶2. (C) Akerman told D/polcouns ELN military commander and negotiator Antonio Garcia drafted a peace process proposal that Akerman and Jimenez will take to Oslo around June 21 to discuss with Norwegian MFA representative Johan Vibe. According to Akerman, under the Garcia proposal the ELN would declare a 6-month unilateral cease-fire prior to the start of the fourth round of talks in Havana on August 12. Within 90 days of the declaration, the ELN would release all kidnap victims. (Akerman said there is some dispute as to the numbers of kidnap victims, with ELN negotiator Francisco Galan saying "it's about 100," rejecting GOC estimates of up to 500.) A verification commission comprised of national (Catholic Church) and international (Akerman said the UN or OAS were possibilities) representatives would visit ELN fronts in an effort to confirm the releases. ¶3. (C) The proposal asks Norway to fund the peace process with USD 18 million for the initial 6 month period, broken down into USD 12 million for expenses for the ELN's claimed 7,000 troops (the real number is closer to 3,500) and USD 6 million for the ELN Central Command's (COCE) expenses. During the latter part of the 6 month period (after kidnap victims are released),the ELN would seek additional funds from various donors to promote its political and economic development agenda. -------------- Peace Commissioner Uncomfortable -------------- ¶4. (C) Akerman said Peace Commissioner Restrepo approved the trip on June 12 after changing his mind several times. He insisted that the guarantors visit Oslo and not travel on to Spain or Switzerland, and said they must brief him immediately upon their return. Akerman claimed Restrepo did not know the details of the Garcia proposal and the guarantors did not plan to share it with him until after talking to Vibe. (We understand Restrepo is aware of the proposal.) In Akerman's view, Restrepo remains concerned that the guarantors and "accompanying countries" (Norway, Spain, and Switzerland) want to carve out a larger peace process role for themselves. -------------- ELN-Paramilitary Links Developing? -------------- ¶5. (C) Akerman described two March meetings at the Casa de Paz in Medellin at which a number of prominent paramilitaries (including Macaco and Julian Bolivar) met with Francisco Galan. Akerman, who was present on both occasions, said the paramilitaries sought a political alliance with the ELN, saying the U.S. and extradition were the common enemies. The paramilitaries said, "money is no object." Akerman said Macaco and Bolivar wanted the ELN to obtain a good deal from the GOC so that paramilitaries could eventually get reduced sentences under a Colombian "equal treatment" provision. Akerman confided that a similar meeting, this time between Galan and paramilitary Ramon Isaza, would take place Friday, June 16 at the Casa de Paz. -------------- ELN, Guarantor Correspondence -------------- ¶6. (C) Akerman passed D/polcouns copies of correspondence between Garcia, Galan and the guarantors, between Galan and ELN fronts in the field, and internal guarantor texts (copies provided to relevant agencies at post). Akerman said Garcia regards him as a "tool of the gringos," a view Akerman said Galan does not share. Akerman said Galan wants the Embassy to know the ELN is serious about peace talks but to understand the process is complicated. ¶7. (C) If authentic, some of Garcia's comments to Galan suggest he is anxious to show the COCE that he is a tough negotiator. He criticizes the guarantors for their apparent view that the peace process is easy, and refers to Akerman as "el Judio" ("the Jew"),saying he appears to be trying to negotiate the ELN down from its preferred 60 million euros to finance the organization for 2 years. He also claims in one letter that the ELN is not necessarily governed by a 2007 municipal electoral timetable. One internal ELN text apparently drafted by Galan states that the FARC might try to block any GOC-ELN peace process. DRUCKER