SENATOR CORNYN'S MEETING WITH COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 006257

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/04/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL ETRD SNAR CASC CO
SUBJECT: SENATOR CORNYN'S MEETING WITH COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT
URIBE


Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for Reasons 1.4(b&d)


1. (C) Summary. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) met with
President Uribe July 4 to discuss Colombia,s
counterterrorism and counternarcotics efforts. Uribe thanked
Cornyn for his support, and asked for his help in passing the
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Colombia. He said drug
eradication must ramp up in order to meet 2006 goals and
maintain public support. Uribe and Cornyn also discussed
challenges in the region and the three U.S. hostages. Cornyn
promised to be as helpful to Colombia as possible in the U.S.
Senate. End Summary.


2. (C) On July 4, Senator John Cornyn and the Ambassador met
with President Uribe. Acting Vice Foreign Minister Jose
Salazar accompanied Uribe. The Senator and Ambassador were
accompanied by Senate staffers and Acting polcouns
(notetaker). The exchange was friendly and productive.
Cornyn congratulated President Uribe on his reelection
praising his courage as a leader. Uribe replied that his
success is linked to U.S. support for Colombia. He added
that increasing destruction of illicit crops and support for
the consolidation phase of Plan Colombia is vital to
continued success. Uribe was pleased that Cornyn would visit
Tolemaida base to see counternarcotics operations first hand.


FTA
---

3. (C) Uribe told Cornyn he directed his Ministers of
Commerce and Agriculture to reach a conclusion on outstanding
agricultural issues with USTR by July 7 (negotiators reached
an accord July 7). Uribe hoped that the Bush Administration
would accept and forward the FTA soon and that Congress would
accelerate approval of the agreement. He emphasized that
speedy passage would dispel anti-trade sentiments in Colombia
and the U.S. Cornyn replied that U.S. elections in November
would make it very difficult to get legislation approved
before the end of the year. However, Cornyn was confident
that the FTA had a good chance of being passed in the first
quarter of 2007. Cornyn said his visit to Colombia would be
helpful in convincing Senate colleagues to move quickly on
the FTA.

Drug Eradication
--------------

4. (C) Uribe expressed concern that the interval of return
visits by spray planes to a targeted area was too long,
allowing growers to replant. Uribe recognized U.S.
counternarcotics efforts but added that there need to be
better results in order to maintain public support and U.S.
assistance to Colombia. Cornyn agreed and emphasized the
need for alternative development for the growers. He added
that maintaining bipartisan support for Colombia in the U.S.
Congress is essential. Ambassador Wood stressed the need for
more assets to achieve our eradication goals. Wood said he
and MoD Ospina recently discussed increasing spray targets
from 130,000-160,000 hectares. With an additional 40,000
hectares eradicated by hand, the GoC would reach a target of
200,000 hectares of illicit crops destroyed. Wood cautioned
that estimates of the total area of drug cultivation in
Colombia are imprecise. He emphasized that while eradication
operations are effective, the weakness lies in the estimates
of drug crops.

Tough Neighborhood
--------------

5. (C) Cornyn expressed his concern that as Colombia is more
successful in fighting terror and drugs at home, these
problems will move to other countries. Uribe said Colombia
seeks to maintain good relations with its neighbors in order
to prevent the spread of terror and drugs. He said he made a
commitment to Ecuador not to eradicate drug crops on the
border but is worried by reports of a spike in drug
cultivation in the area. Spraying is a neuralgic issue in
Ecuador, he explained, with indigenous groups and the GoE
claiming glyphosate is harmful. Uribe said the President of
Ecuador has been cooperative in pursuing terrorist leaders,
so he will not revisit the issue of spraying on the border
until after Ecuador,s national elections in October.


6. (C) Uribe said he had a good relationship with Peruvian

President Toledo and that he would meet with Alan Garcia on
July 5. However, reports of new coca cultivation in Peru had
him worried. Uribe also wondered how Bolivian President Evo
Morales reconciled his policy of tolerating coca cultivation,
but not allowing narcotrafficking. Uribe viewed the two
goals as incompatible. He lamented Brazil's lack of
effectiveness in controlling over flights of drug planes. On
Venezuela, Uribe said President Chavez always tells him he
doesn't support the guerrillas or the narcos. However, when
Uribe raises reports of guerrilla camps in Venezuela, Chavez
doesn't take any action. He said the GoC needs better
cooperation from Venezuela, especially on overflight of drug
planes.

U.S. Hostages
--------------

7. (C) Senator Cornyn expressed his appreciation for
President Uribe,s attempts to recover the three U.S.
hostages (Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes)
and said this remains a top priority for the U.S. Uribe
reiterated his commitment to include the U.S. hostages in any
humanitarian exchange agreement with the FARC.
WOOD