FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSES FRENCH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000897 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2016 TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL CO SUBJECT: FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSES FRENCH COMMITMENT TO FACILITATE GOC-FARC HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood Reason: 1.4 (b,d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) During an 18-hour visit to Bogota January 26, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said France was committed to facilitating an "humanitarian exchange" of imprisoned FARC guerrillas for FARC hostages, but recognized that agreement on such an exchange would require direct GOC-FARC talks. The foreign minister emphasized that France (and he personally) was committed to the release of all FARC hostages, not just dual French-Colombian citizen Ingrid Betancourt. According to a participant in a breakfast meeting that Douste-Blazy hosted, the foreign minister indirectly criticized President Uribe for announcing in December, against France's advice, his immediate acceptance of an international commission proposal to establish a security zone in Colombia to conduct the talks. He also criticized the FARC for "lies" in its January 1 statement rejecting the commission's proposal. The foreign minister met with Uribe and a range of prominent Colombians during his short stay in the country. Representatives of the international commission expect to meet FARC operatives in the next few weeks. End summary. -------------- FRANCE COMMITTED TO HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE -------------- ¶2. (C) In a joint press conference on January 26 with Foreign Minister Carolina Barco, Douste-Blazy, who was on an 18-hour visit to Bogota, said France would continue to work with fellow international commission countries Spain and Switzerland to secure FARC acceptance of the commission's proposal to facilitate an "humanitarian exchange" of imprisoned FARC guerrillas for FARC hostages. (The commission proposed December 13 that a "security zone" of some 65 square miles be established to facilitate such GOC-FARC talks; President Uribe publicly accepted the proposal the same day, whereas the FARC rejected it on January 1.) He said France would "do everything possible" to ensure the FARC releases the hostages safely. Douste-Blazy emphasized he was talking about all of the hostages, not just dual French-Colombian citizen Ingrid Betancourt, and underscored his personal commitment to the process. Douste-Blazy met for an hour with President Uribe and they had a five-minute one-on-one. The foreign minister later said that 95 percent of the discussion was about humanitarian exchange issues, and told reporters it was important for him to hear that Uribe was committed to the process. ¶3. (C) Douste-Blazy told a breakfast meeting in Bogota January 26 that France was committed to serving as mediator (he also used the word "facilitator") to improve the chances of a successful "humanitarian exchange." According to Carlos Lozano (editor of the communist newspaper la Voz who is knowledgeable about FARC thinking),who attended the breakfast, Douste-Blazy said direct GOC-FARC conversations would be required to ensure the safe release of the hostages. Lozano said Douste-Blazy was indirectly critical of the GOC, saying France had asked President Uribe not to announce his acceptance of the international commission proposal in December until the FARC had time to react. Douste-Blazy was also critical of the FARC, telling his audience the FARC had lied in its January 2 message rejecting the commission's proposal. Contrary to the FARC statement, Douste-Blazy said, the FARC received the commission proposal in a timely fashion. Other breakfast attendees included Father Dario Echeverri, former President Lopez Michelson, former defense minister Martha Lucia Ramirez, former foreign minister Maria Emma Mejia, and former Inspector General Jaime Bernal Cuellar, and representatives of the hostages' families. -------------- - International Commission Should Meet FARC Soon -------------- - ¶4. (C) Representatives of the international commission countries plan to meet FARC operatives within two or three weeks, according to Lozano. WOOD