NEW UNCHR REP PLEDGES CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 007947

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV CO
SUBJECT: NEW UNCHR REP PLEDGES CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOC


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

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) In an August 24 meeting, the Ambassador expressed the
Embassy's committment to a positive, constructive
relationshiop with new UNCHR head in Colombia, Juan Pablo
Corlazzoli. Corlazzoli said he had already met with GOC
officials to set the agenda and tone of his tenure, with the
UNCHR and GOC agreeing to hold monthly meetings and to
communicate concerns privately. He said he was encouraged by
GOC initiatives to combat human rights abuses, especially
extrajudicial killings. Corlazzoli recognized the challenges
of paramilitary demobilization and offered to support the
GOC's peace efforts. End summary.

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AMBASSADOR AND CORLAZZOLI AGREE COOPERATION IS KEY
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2. (C) In an August 24 meeting with the new representative of
the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights (UNCHR) in Colombia, Juan Pablo Corlazzoli, the
Ambassador stressed his commitment to have a positive,
cooperative relationship with the UN office. The Ambassador
said encouraging respect for human rights is a top U.S.
priority in Colombia. He praised the important work of the
UNCHR in this regard and voiced our desire to share
information with the UN office. Corlazzoli said he shared
the Ambassador's desire to work closely together. He also
wanted to establish a good relationship with the GOC.
Corlazzoli said he wanted a "transparent and cooperative"
dialogue with the GOC. "We want to win the confidence of the
government. Even if we have different opinions, we do not
want confrontation," he explained. Corlazzoli said he had
set up an "emergency channel" with the government for urgent
human rights cases. The Ambassador asked that Corlazzoli
consider that he had an emergency channel to the Embassy as
well, and affirmed our willingness to add our voice to that
of the UN office as appropriate.

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UNCHR AND GOC MAP OUT AGENDA
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3. (C) Corlazzoli said he had met with various GOC
officials, including Vice-President Francisco Santos, Foreign
Minister Maria Consuelo Araujo and Defense Minister Juan
Manuel Santos, to discuss UNCHR and GOC engagement. The GOC
had expressed its commitment to maintaining a UNCHR presence
in Colombia and had "reaffirmed" almost all of the UNCHR's
current mandate. The only issue remaining was how to handle
the Office's annual report, given the transition from the
Human Rights Commission to the new Human Rights Council. He
said he was pleased with the GOC's goal to "become the first
country to get a "peer review" in the UN Human Rights Council.


4. (C) Corlazzoli explained the UNCHR and the GOC had agreed
to hold quarterly meetings with the Vice-President, Foreign
Minister, Defense Minister, Prosecutor General and Inspector
General to review human rights issues. He would also have
monthly sessions with the heads and deputies of agencies and
ministries concerned with human rights. The first such
meeting would take place in September. Corlazzoli said his
office would stress technical assistance as well as human
rights issues. He said he would communicate concerns
privately to the GOC, explaining, "We will not talk to the
GOC through the press."

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CORLAZZOLI ENCOURAGED BY GOC INITIATIVES AGAINST HR ABUSES
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4. (C) Corlazzoli said he was "encouraged" by the GOC's
initiative and political will to combat cases of human rights
abuses, especially in the area of extrajudicial killings.
The UNCHR has received no new complaints from some areas
where such killings were an issue. (Comment: In a leaked
communique to the GOC in April, the UNCHR expressed concern
over extrajudicial killings in Antioquia Department. In
July, the GOC announced 18 arrests of military personnel
allegedly involved in 29 such cases. An UNCHR official told
us there have been no complaints of extrajudicial killings in
the Department since May. End Comment.) Still, Corlazzoli

said his office would raise five or six new cases of alleged
extrajudicial killings by security forces in Putumayo
Department with the GOC.

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UNCHR ROLE VIS-A-VIS CIVIL SOCIETY
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5. (C) Corlazzoli said he had also met with NGO
representatives, stressing the need to work closely with
civil society such as human rights activists, religious
groups, trade unionists, and business groups. In the NGO
meeting, he had explained that the UNCHR's role is to
"accompany" the process of human rights development, rather
than to be a political actor. "We are not an NGO and have a
different role to play," Corlazzoli explained.

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UNCHR AND THE PEACE PROCESS
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6. (C) Corlazzoli, who worked on peace processes in Central
America and Lebanon, said the UNCHR was ready to contribute
to the peace process with all illegal armed groups. He
recognized Colombia's "unique socio-political" context, and
reiterated his desire to support GOC efforts to achieve
peace. He said based on his experience, it was very
difficult to balance peace and justice in such processes.
Corlazzoli noted that in Central America in the 1980s and
1990s, all of the illegal armed groups benefited from
complete amnesties.
WOOD