GOE PROTESTS RESUMPTION OF COLOMBIAN SPRAYING NEAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 003020 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2014 TAGS: PREL MARR MASS MOPS SNAR PTER EC CO SUBJECT: GOE PROTESTS RESUMPTION OF COLOMBIAN SPRAYING NEAR BORDER Classified By: PolOff Jarahn Hillsman, Reasons 1.4 (b&d) ¶1. (C) Colombia's resumption of aerial fumigation along the Ecuador-Colombia border has sparked a formal GOE protest and strong reaction from president-elect Correa. Foreign Minister Francisco Carrion called Colombia's decision an act of "hostility" and warned of a possible cooling in bilateral relations. Correa called the resumption of spraying of pesticides close to Ecuador's border "terrible," called on Colombia to eradicate coca manually, and called for UN and OAS intervention. The fumigation issue will color Correa's planned first visit to Colombia and could complicate fledgling GOE-GOC security and developmental cooperation in the border region. End summary. Correa Leads Charge -------------- ¶2. (U) President-elect Rafael Correa on December 12 publicly condemned Colombia's resumption of aerial fumigations along the joint border as "terrible," saying his government would appeal for international intervention to the UN and OAS. Correa cushioned his call by expressing "understanding" of Colombia's motives, but insisted that manual eradication, not spraying, should be the eradication method used within 10 kilometers of the Ecuadorian border. Correa reportedly will raise aerial eradication during an announced but unconfirmed meeting with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in Bogota, later this month. FM: Spraying "An Act of Hostility" -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Reports that Colombian anti-narcotics police reinitiated aerial eradication of coca plants within 100 meters of the Ecuadorian border has sparked a predictable media frenzy and combative GOE reaction. Foreign Minister Francisco Carrion on December 13 called Colombia's decision a clear "act of hostility." Carrion said that the GOE was still studying a response, but that it could potentially include a formal complaint via diplomatic note, recall of Ecuador's ambassador in Colombia (who is currently visiting Quito anyway),and the end of GOE hospitality toward Colombian refugees. Striking a less hostile note, Carrion said the GOE understands the complexity of Colombia's situation and would continue its bilateral dialogue, but Ecuadorians in the border region "should not have to pay for these complexities." The GOE would continue its push for a UN study on the health effects of glyphosate, the fumigant in use for spraying. ¶4. (U) Carrion in his December 13 interview also noted the need to increase GOE presence along the Ecuador-Colombia border and suggested that Colombia do the same. He said that Ecuador would redouble efforts to bring greater education, health, and security investments to the region. Human Rights Groups Pounce -------------- ¶5. (U) Alexis Ponce, head of the Ecuadorian leftist NGO "Permanent Assembly for Human Rights" congratulated Correa on his "dignified expressions of sovereignty" and called for Ecuador to oppose both fumigation and Plan Colombia. Ponce called for the immediate recall of the Ecuadorian ambassador to Colombia, and for Correa to bring the GOC before the International Court of Justice for environmental damage and harm to Ecuadorians affected by the spraying. The Latin American Human Rights Organization (ALDHU) echoed Carrion's characterization of the Colombian action as a "hostile" act that demanded international intervention. Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Correa had no choice politically but to condemn Colombia's action, and following a typically impulsive first reaction has avoided continued inflammatory rhetoric. He is devoting these weeks to building relationships with South American counterparts and probably does not want to sour his relations with Uribe before they have even begun. That said, we do not expect his position to moderate absent conciliatory signals from Uribe. It will take creative diplomacy to find such signals that can be viable over the long term, given the problems inherent with GOE demands. We expect Correa to pose a much more formidable challenge to the GOC than lame-duck president Palacio ever did. Correa's first visit to Bogota will be critical to mitigating the risks with respect to what could become an increasingly volatile relationship. JEWELL