DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S MAY 8 MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003282

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PARM CO
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S MAY 8 MEETING WITH
FOREIGN MINISTER ARAUJO


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Milton K. Drucker
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)

1.(U) May 8, 2007, 1530, Palacio San Carlos

2.(U) Participants:

United States

The Deputy Secretary
WHA A/S Thomas P. Shannon
CDA Milton K. Drucker
D Staff Assistant Mary Sue Conaway
Political Counselor John S. Creamer
Economic Counselor Larry Gumbiner
Poloff Cassandra Carraway (notetaker)

Colombia

Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo
Minister of Trade Luis Guillermo Plata
Vice Minister of Commerce Eduardo Munoz
Deputy Foreign Minister Camilo Reyes
Ambassador Carolina Barco.

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Summary
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3.(C) Foreign Minister Araujo asked Deputy Secretary
Negroponte to encourage Ecuador to be more cooperative in
counter-drug operations, especially along the border. He
said the ELN rejected a GOC draft peace accord in early May,
but the two sides continue discussions in Havana. A GOC
humanitarian accord with the FARC was a GOC priority, but
there was little reason to expect talks to begin. With
paramilitary demobilization essentially complete,
paramilitary groups had disintegrated. The FM said the GOC
would capture, prosecute, and extradite renegade former-paras
who had lost their Justice and Peace Law benefits. The FM
urged quick U.S. approval of licenses to allow Colombia to
import Brazilian fighter aircraft containing U.S. components.
End Summary.


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Changing Ecuador's Attitude
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4.(C) Minister Araujo asked D/S Negroponte for help in
changing Ecuador's attitude towards Colombia's counter-drug
campaign. Araujo stressed the war on drugs was global.
Narcotrafficking along the border region was growing and
causing instability. Ecuadorians were coming north to
harvest coca, and narco leaders found sanctuary in Ecuador,
where the largest cocaine lab ever found was recently
discovered. The GOE was unreceptive to GOC approaches and
obstructed Colombian military and counter-drug operations.
Barco said, "The Ecuadorians want to leave the FARC alone so
the FARC will leave them alone." Reyes and Barco agreed
cooperation under previous Ecuadorian Presidents had been
spotty, but said President Correa's harsh rhetoric signaled a
marked, negative change in bilateral ties.

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Outlook on ELN and FARC
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5.(C) Araujo said GOC talks with the ELN on a peace agreement
continued in Havana, but the ELN had recently rejected a GOC
proposal on a ceasefire. Internal differences within the ELN
were a serious obstacle to reaching a ceasefire accord. A/S
Shannon told the FM an ELN peace accord would be a
significant achievement for the GOC in the eyes of the
international community and U.S. Congress, and would isolate
the FARC. Araujo confirmed the GOC remains interested in a
humanitarian exchange with the FARC, but only on the GOC's
terms. The GOC would not accept the FARC demand for creation
of an extensive demilitarized zone as a precondition for
talks, and would insist on a guarantee that released FARC

would not return to the battlefield. The three accompanying
countries--Spain, France and Switzerland--were working on a
format for talks, but had yet to formulate a concrete
proposal.

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GOC Policy on Former Paras
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6.(C) Araujo told D/S Negroponte with the demobilization of
almost 32,000 paramilitaries, paramilitary groups had ceased
to exist. The former-paras presently trying to re-arm were
pure narcotraffickers. He reiterated that the G0C was
aggressively pursuing fugitive former-AUC leaders still at
large, and that once captured (as in the cases of aka 'HH'
and 'Salomon'),they would be tried under ordinary law (since
they no longer qualified for benefits under the J&P Law),and
be subject to possible extradition. A/S Shannon said though
paramilitary structures had been dismantled, the fact some
renegade members were re-arming was disturbing. Ambassador
Barco urged the U.S. to seek 'HH's extradition to send a
strong message to ex-AUC who had not demobilized.

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MOD License Request: Brazilian Fighters
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7.(C) Araujo relayed a request from Defense Minister Juan
Manuel Santos urging us to quickly issue licenses allowing
Colombia to take delivery of recently purchased Brazilian
"Super Tucano" fighters with U.S. components. He said that
transfer to Colombia is stalled pending permits for
re-exportation of U.S. armaments to a non-NATO country.

8.(U) Deputy Secretary Negroponte cleared this message.
Drucker