ONDCP DIRECTOR WALTERS MEETING WITH PRESIDENT URIBE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 006424 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2026 TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR CO SUBJECT: ONDCP DIRECTOR WALTERS MEETING WITH PRESIDENT URIBE Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood. Reasons 1.4 (b&d) ¶1. (C) Summary. On July 10, ONDCP Director Walters, Ambassador Wood, INL Assistant Secretary Patterson and WHA PDAS Shapiro met with President Uribe to discuss Colombia's counternarcotics efforts. Walters congratulated Uribe on his reelection and offered to enhance coordination and increase drug eradication. ¶2. (C) Uribe said Colombia is perceived as losing the battle to stop drug cultivation. He underlined his commitment to accelerate spraying and manual eradication to improve results. Walters recognized the recent report on cultivation figures caused difficulties for the GoC, but added that an accurate measurement is hard to obtain. Wood said the GoC has demobilized over 40,000 illegal armed actors, and is depriving them of their illicit profits by eradication efforts. Uribe agreed but raised the concern that the interval between the first spraying of an area and the return to the same site is too long. ¶3. (C) Uribe welcomed the news that the U.S. would send teams to discuss increased efficiencies in the spray program, and to meet with his new cabinet. Walters emphasized that there is pressure from Congress to show results. Uribe said the political will to succeed will never be higher and that we should work together to make progress now. Chavez Asks for Help -------------- ¶4. (C) Uribe said President Chavez expressed his serious concerns about increased kidnappings in Venezuela during their July 8 meeting. While kidnappings have decreased in Colombia, Chavez reported that 50 Venezuelans and Colombians have been kidnapped on the Venezuelan side of the border. He asked for Uribe's help and agreed their military commanders should meet to address the issue. Uribe raised illicit drug flights with Chavez who said he would sign an agreement with the DEA to fight narcotics trafficking. Shapiro said the U.S. is still waiting for the Venezuelans to agree on the text. Uribe offered to follow up with Chavez and press him to move quickly. Helos, Smart Bombs -------------- ¶5. (C) Uribe said he asked President Bush for 24 new helicopters during his recent trip to Washington. He also wants smart weapons because he believes GoC weapons are outdated. Wood pointed out that you only need 1-3 planes to carry smart weapons, and that the smart bomb fits on an OV10 (which the GoC has in its inventory). Wood said we are testing the Lockheed LongShot wing adaptor kit and hope to be able to use it in the next few months. WOOD