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)

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Summary
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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.

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ELN Proposal for Norway
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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.

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Peace Commissioner Uncomfortable
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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.

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ELN-Paramilitary Links Developing?
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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.

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ELN, Guarantor Correspondence
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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