CHAVEZ OFFERS TO HOST NINTH ROUND OF ELN PEACE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 006520 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL PTER CO SUBJECT: CHAVEZ OFFERS TO HOST NINTH ROUND OF ELN PEACE TALKS IN CARACAS REF: BOGOTA 5789 Classified By: Political Counselor John Creamer - Reasons 1.5 (b and d) ¶1. (C) Summary. At an August 31 summit with President Uribe in Bogota, Venezuelan President Chavez offered to host a new round of GOC-ELN peace talks in Caracas. Uribe quickly agreed to Chavez' offer, believing it is better to have Chavez inside the tent rather than outside causing problems. GOC negotiators also met with the ELN and agreed to shift the talks to Caracas. Serious splits within the ELN over whether to stop kidnappings and drug trafficking limit the prospects for a peace agreement with the full ELN. End summary. Chavez Invites ELN Talks to Caracas =================================== ¶2. (U) At an August 31 summit meeting hosted by President Alvaro Uribe in the outskirts of Bogota, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered to host a ninth round of peace talks between the GOC and National Liberation Army (ELN) in Caracas. Chavez was in Bogota to discuss with Uribe the specifics of his role as intermediary with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on a humanitarian exchange. The previous round of ELN talks ended on August 24 in Havana, ostensibly stuck over hostages and cease fire verification mechanisms (reftel). GOC and ELN Accept Chavez Role ============================== ¶3. (C) Casa de Narino Communications Director Jorge Mario Eastman told us Chavez made the offer to Uribe at the behest of the ELN. He said the ELN is seeking Venezuelan participation in the hopes Chavez would soften up GOC positions. In a press conference following the summit, Chavez said he "received a signal from Havana, a request for dialogue in Caracas." Uribe accepted immediately, and gave instructions to Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo to participate in talks in Caracas. Eastman said Uribe felt it was better to have Chavez inside the tent rather than causing problems outside. Signs of Limited Movement ========================= ¶4. (C) ELN peace process guarantor Moritz Akerman told us Restrepo and ELN spokesman Francisco Galan met a day before the Uribe-Chavez summit, and agreed to a new round of talks -possibly in Caracas- to start as early as the week of September 3. Akerman said the GOC also agreed to allow the ELN to concentrate forces in four zones (Catatumbo, southern Bolivar, Valle, and Narino),and withdrew its previous demand that the ELN identify its members. Akerman said ELN negotiator Pablo Beltran considered Cuba's role in the talks unhelpful, and wanted a change. Others involved in the process tell us the ELN was unhappy over Cuban pressure to reach a deal. Galan and Beltran reportedly flew to Havana on September 4-5; the media report ELN reps and GOV officials met September 5 in Caracas in preparatory talks. ELN Split Over Kidnapping and Drugs =================================== ¶5. (C) Catholic Church and Conciliation Commission representative Father Dario Echeverri said ELN spokesman Francisco Galan met Catholic Bishops Conference President Msg Castro prior to the August 20-24 round of talks to seek Church help in addressing serious internal ELN divisions. Several ELN fronts blocked Beltran's proposal that the ELN unilaterally renounce kidnapping, because they do not want to give up this revenue source. Galan said he and some other ELN leaders understand the need to take risks for peace, but they need outside help. At Galan's urging, Castro sent letters dated August 22 to ELN leaders Pablo Beltran and Antonio Garcia urging them to suspend kidnapping as an important gesture toward achieving peace. ¶6. (C) Echeverri and Akerman said the ELN approach to the peace talks is complicated by the deep involvement of many ELN fronts, especially those in Cauca and Valle de Cauca (linked to ELN negotiator Juan Carlos Cuellar),in narcotrafficking. They doubted Cuellar would ever accept a peace accord. Personal rivalries between Beltran and Garcia are another complication. Echeverri said unless ELN leaders committed to peace are persuaded to break with the hard-liners/criminals, there will never be a peace deal. Akerman said Beltran thought Chavez' involvement might give the ELN peace camp more leverage with hard-liners. Brownfield