GOC LAMENTS INCURSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000308 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2014 TAGS: PREL MOPS SNAR PTER EC CO SUBJECT: GOC LAMENTS INCURSION REF: QUITO 000258 Classified By: PolOff Jarahn Hillsman, Reasons 1.4 (b&d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The GOC on February 2 regretted its possible accidental violation of Ecuadorian airspace and reiterated its respect for Ecuadorian sovereignty. The GOE privately welcomed the conciliatory response, but publicly called it "insufficient" and slow in coming. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe reportedly will travel to the Colombia-Ecuador border on February 6 with members of his national security council, and is expected to provide additional comment on the incursion in the afternoon. A stronger statement by Uribe should allow bilateral relations to improve over the coming weeks. President Palacio has been lifted politically by his government's strong but measured protest of Colombian actions. End Summary. GOE Discouraged GOC Response -------------- ¶2. (C) In a diplomatic note sent to the Ecuadorian Embassy in Bogota on February 2, the GOC apologized for the possible "accidental" violation of Ecuadorian airspace on January 28 and expressed its respect for Ecuadorian sovereignty. The note emphasized that the move was not premeditated, and that the incident, currently under investigation, was provoked by the FARC,s attempt to enter Ecuador to elude capture. Vice Foreign Minister Ribadeneira told PolChief that the GOE considered the GOC note on the incursion as "helpful but insufficient," criticizing the slow GOC handling of the incident. He claimed that communication with his counterpart remains "constant," and that President Uribe had informed President Palacio of his intention to visit the border area. Ribadeneira said that the GOE would probably respond to Bogota's note, then wait a few weeks before re-engaging in scheduled counter-narcotics talks. Assertive GOE Response -------------- ¶3. (U) President Alfredo Palacio, Foreign Minister Francisco Carrion, Minister of Defense Oswaldo Jarrin, and National Police Commandant Jose Vinueza on February 1 visited La Bermeja, Sucumbios, the site of the alleged incursion by Colombian military aircraft (reftel). During the visit, Palacio reiterated the GOE,s nonintervention policy in Colombia,s internal conflict, and insisted that both the GOC and the FARC respect Ecuadorian territorial integrity. Palacio,s trip to La Bermeja highlighted recent MOD actions to increase military presence in this zone, reportedly including the movement of four Cessna A-37B planes from Manta to Nueva Loja, Sucumbios provincial capital. Uribe Statement Anticipated -------------- ¶4. (U) Local press reported February 6 that Colombian President Alvaro Uribe would travel to the border town of Puerto Asis, Putumayo Province with members of his national security council. Press speculated that Uribe will likely comment publicly about the incursion. FM Carrion canceled a pre-scheduled trip to Italy to await official GOC response. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Barring further incidents on the border, the two neighbors should be able to return to previous efforts to strengthen cross-border cooperation. The assertive GOE response has been a rare boon to the Palacio government politically, with commentators lauding his personal visit to the border. The movement of the Cessna A-37B planes to Nueva Loja was clearly intended to demonstrate GOE resolve. Our military information suggests that if the GOE were truly interested in intercepting Colombian aircraft, it would have moved its Kfir and Mirage planes to the area. Amidst the nationalistic posturing over the incident, at least a few clear-eyed Ecuadorians, including Quito mayor and former general Paco Moncayo, acknowledge the need for GOE to deny its territory as refuge for the FARC. JEWELL