FRANCE OR CUBA POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS FOR GRANDA,

UNCLAS BOGOTA 004171 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL CO SUBJECT: FRANCE OR CUBA POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS FOR GRANDA, WHO SAYS HE IS NOT AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK FOR FARC REF: BOGOTA 4029 (NOTAL) ¶1. Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo met with released FARC terrorist and informal "foreign minister" Rodrigo Granda June 7. The press reports the two discussed Granda's relocation, with France and Cuba mentioned as the most likely candidates. French DCM Alain Fort told polcouns June 7 France had not yet offered to host Granda, but would be willing to accept him. ¶2. Spanish DCM Pablo Gomez told polcouns June 7 Granda had met with Spanish diplomats in Bogota earlier in the day. Granda told them he would follow orders from the FARC's secretariat and was not authorized to speak on the FARC's SIPDIS behalf, sentiments similar to those he expressed in a June 5 statement. Still, he said he hoped to play a constructive role in the effort to promote a humanitarian exchange. ¶3. Gomez said the Spanish discouraged Granda from considering travel to Spain, saying he would not be immune there from legal action against him. Gomez specifically mentioned to polcouns Spain's expectation that Paraguay would seek Granda's arrest for his involvement in the 2004 kidnap and murder of Cecilia Cubas, daughter of former Paraguayan president Raul Cubas. Fort said a Paraguayan request that Interpol enforce a Paraguayan arrest warrant for Granda could complicate his possible residence in France. ¶4. The G-8 Chair's summary dated June 8 characterized as a bold and courageous humanitarian move President Uribe's efforts to promote the freedom of FARC hostages through releasing Granda and other convicted FARC terrorists. The summary called on the FARC to "consider urgent steps" in response, and urged the use of French, Spanish, and Swiss facilitation. Drucker