SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF UNDERSECRETARY FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 009727

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016
TAGS: PREL PHUM SNAR MARR KCRM PTER EAID ETRD ECON
KJUS, ELAB, CO
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF UNDERSECRETARY FOR
POLITICAL AFFAIRS R. NICHOLAS BURNS


Classified By: CDA Milton K. Drucker
Reasons: 1.4 (b,d)

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Summary
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1. (C) Post welcomes the October 24-26 visit to Colombia of
U/S for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns and his
delegation. Uribe remains the country's dominant political
figure, with approval ratings close to 70 percent. His
congressional coalition controls both houses of Congress but
is increasingly difficult to manage. Tensions between the
military and police have heated up. Progress on paramilitary
demobilization has slowed; Uribe's success in removing almost
32,000 paramilitaries from the battlefield has not been
matched by effective reintegration programs for former
combatants. An increasing number of demobilized are
returning to crime. The GOC and ELN are conducting peace
talks in Havana; it is unclear whether the ELN is willing to
agree to implement a cease-fire. The GOC and FARC have
traded public statements on a humanitarian exchange of some
FARC hostages for jailed FARC terrorists, but there is no
sign the FARC is serious. Recent GOC statements were
cautious and insisted on tough conditions for talks. The GOC
wants quick Congressional approval of the U.S.-Colombian Free
Trade Agreement. End summary.

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Key Messages
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2. (C) Plan Colombia Consolidation: The GOC's draft Plan
Colombia Consolidation Plan (PCCP) is a good start but needs
a multilateral--not U.S.--focus and an expected end state
after five more years of assistance. Nationalization is the
key U.S. principle: the Colombian contribution to PCCP must
rise as the U.S. contribution falls, starting in FY2009. The
five PCCP pillars (justice, social development, reinsertion,
public security, and economic development) capture the broad
thematic priorities for the strategic relationship. We need
a commitment from the GOC to work with us to complete a PCCP
by January.


3. (C) Counternarcotics: Aerial eradication is at a new
record of 140,477 hectares, with 2.5 months left in the year.
Interdictions and lab destructions continue at a rapid pace,
and seizures of money and other assets are increasing.
Nationalizing programs is our priority. This is complicated
since missions and goals have increased in the last few
years, as have the number of air assets that require support.
The Colombians set up a Colombian government spray package
(with a lot of USG support). It has sprayed over 2,600
hectares.


4. (C) Strategic Relationship: Uribe should explore a
broader regional role for Colombia, including stronger
partnerships with Mexico, Peru, Chile and Brazil. You should
encourage him to promote regional economic integration,
intensify security relationships, and deepen democratic
cooperation. The U.S. and Colombia will also explore a
broader defense relationship.


5. (C) Bilateral Issues:

-- Paramilitary Demobilization/Justice: The GOC has removed
almost 32,000 former paramilitaries from the battlefield, in
addition to 11,000 individual deserters from all terrorist
groups, in the last four years. The GOC's appointment of a
High Commissioner for Demobilization (Frank Pearl) is
welcome, but reintegration of ex-paramilitaries remains
disorganized. Reintegration programs have not materialized,
and ex-paramilitaries are returning to crime. Implementation
of the Justice and Peace law is also lagging. You should
urge the GOC to speed up reintegration efforts, and to step
up application of the Justice and Peace Law.

-- Extradition: Uribe has extradited over 380 Colombians to
the U.S., including FARC terrorists "Simon Trinidad,"
currently on trial in New York for abetting kidnapping of 3

U.S. citizens, and FARC finance expert "Sonia," whose U.S.
trial starts in January. Uribe approved, but suspended,
extradition of 5 paramilitary leaders, subject to full
compliance with Justice and Peace Law terms. You should
recognize the GOC's extradition record, but stress it is
vital that extraditions continue. You should also emphasize
that the GOC's increased use of suspensions will be viewed
skeptically in Congress and elsewhere.

-- Victims, Justice, and Reparations: The National
Reparations and Reconciliation Commission has opened two of
its five regional offices to register victims of paramilitary
violence and assist them with legal issues associated with
implementation of the Justice and Peace Law. The Commission
will design individual and collective reparations. The
Commission has been seized with organizational issues, and
has launched few concrete programs. You should stress the
need for the Commission to start programs that recognize
victims' suffering and begin the reconciliation process.

--"FARC and ELN Talks": The GOC and FARC have traded public
statements on a possible exchange of imprisoned FARC
terrorists for FARC "political" hostages. Uribe has accepted
a FARC proposal for an "encounter zone" for negotiations but
insisted it be free of armed FARC. Uribe has always insisted
FARC prisoners do not return to criminal activities. To
date, the FARC has not shown it is serious about the talks.
You should ask Uribe to reaffirm he will not agree to any
exchange that omits the 3 U.S. citizen hostages. The ELN is
negotiating with the GOC but it is unclear whether it is
ready to implement a cease-fire; the U.S. supports a process
that leads to ELN cease-fire, disarmament, and
demobilization.

-- Human Rights: Recent GOC actions to strengthen human
rights protections are promising. Defense Minister Santos
appointed the first civilian, a woman, to head the Military
Penal Justice (MPJ) system and announced the need for
additional MPJ reforms. The Prosecutor General's Office is
implementing an MOU it signed with the MOD that assigns
civilian investigators to cases of alleged military human
rights abuses, and permits the Office to make the initial
decision to send a case to civilian courts. The Prosecutor
General's office arrested 14 military officials since late
August for their alleged involvement in extrajudicial
killings, and four deputies for alleged involvement in
paramilitary criminal activities. In October, the GOC
published an implementing decree on the Justice and Peace Law
that largely meets our concerns. You should acknowledge
recent GOC progress, but reiterate the need for further
structural reforms as well as progress on older cases.

-- Labor: Violence against trade unionists remains serious,
but has fallen sharply. The GOC states 14 trade unionists
were killed in 2005, down from 40 in 2004, a reduction of 66
percent. The Ministry of Interior and Justice Protection
program, partly funded by USAID, has protected some 7,700
labor personnel since 1999. In 2005, the Program protected
about 1,600 trade unionists. The GOC's decision to invite
the ILO to open an office in Colombia is positive, and we
urge a renewed emphasis on prosecutions of those responsible
for violence against trade unionists.

-- Economic: Colombia's economy is expanding by nearly 6 per
cent annually. We expect the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) to be signed shortly after November 22. We
expect Colombia's Congress to approve it this year. There is
no date yet for the U.S. to submit it to our Congress.
Colombia's Andean Trade Preference and Drug Eradication Act
(ATPDEA) preferences are set to expire at the end of this
year. Extension of ATPDEA until entry into force of the FTA
for Colombia is a matter of urgent priority for the GOC.
DRUCKER