AMBASSADOR'S SEPTEMBER 21 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 006966

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2017
TAGS: ECON KJUS PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S SEPTEMBER 21 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT
URIBE

Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) The Ambassador briefed President Uribe on the latest
developments on the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA),
urged the GOC to coordinate closely with the USG on the
efforts of Senator Cordoba and President Chavez to achieve a
humanitarian exchange with the FARC, and outlined likely
shifts in U.S. assistance from traditional counter narcotics
activities to nationalization, manual eradication, justice,
and vulnerable communities. Uribe said he would invite House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress to visit
Colombia prior to a vote on the FTA, and agreed on the need
to handle Cordoba and Chavez with care. He welcomed likely
changes in U.S. aid, urging greater support for his &forest
families8 program, and urged the USG to help publicize
recent increases in cocaine prices in the United States.
Uribe reiterated his commitment to extradite former
paramilitary leader Macaco as soon as the USG formally
requests it, but said he needs more evidence to justify the
extradition of Don Berna. End Summary


2. (SBU) The Ambassador met September 21 with President
Uribe, Vice Foreign Minister Adriana Mejia, GOC Peace
Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo, and Foreign Ministry
Office Director for the United States and Canada Patricia
Cortes. Polcouns participated as notetaker.

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FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
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3. (SBU) The Ambassador reviewed the latest developments on
the FTA. President Uribe said during his September 24-28
visit to New York for the UN General Assembly meetings, he
would publicly invite House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other
members of Congress to visit Colombia prior to a
congressional vote on the FTA. He would also meet with World
Bank President Robert Zoellick and former President Clinton,
and would discuss the FTA issue with them as well.

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HUMANITARIAN ACCORD WITH FARC
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4. (C) The Ambassador said that the USG welcomes any
initiative*whether a rescue operation or a voluntary
release*that leads to the freedom of the hostages, but noted
our global policy precludes the USG from making concessions
to kidnappers. We publicly support the efforts of Senator
Cordoba and President Chavez to negotiate a humanitarian
exchange with the FARC, but also recognize that the two do
not necessarily have an interest in maintaining strong
U.S.-Colombian relations. The GOC and USG need to work
closely on this sensitive issue.


5. (C) President Uribe agreed that the GOC and USG need to
handle Chavez and Cordoba with care. He had authorized the
two to act as facilitators because he faced great pressure
from the families of the hostages, as well as from various
domestic political interests, and could not appear
insensitive. Uribe conceded Chavez, and Cordoba's
involvement poses risks, but said he would accept the risk as
long as they respected his four &immovable8 conditions.
These are: 1) no demilitarized zone or &despeje,8 2) no
FARC meetings with international political figures inside
Colombia, 3) equal treatment for U.S. and Colombian hostages,
and 4) no return of FARC prisoners to FARC ranks. Uribe
instructed GOC Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo to
coordinate with the USG to avoid any misunderstandings as the
process unfolds.


6. (C) Ambassador noted that we have some bottom lines as
well. 1) We will not negotiate with or make concessions to
kidnappers. 2) We leave all options on the table to resolve
the situation. 3) We welcome the efforts of anyone to
contribute to the prompt and safe return of the hostages to
their families.


7. (C) Uribe said that Chavez consistently tests the limits
set by the four conditions. During their August 31 meeting
in Bogota, Uribe said Chavez told him that the extradition of
&Sonia8 and &Simon Trinidad8 to the United States
complicates the inclusion of the U.S. hostages in a
humanitarian exchange. Chavez also said he would ask French
President Sarkozy to raise Sonia,s and Simon,s return with
President Bush. Uribe said he reiterated to Chavez the
GOC,s position on equal treatment, and told him that the GOC
would not raise the issue of &Simon8 and &Sonia8 with the
USG.


8. (C) Uribe explained to the Ambassador that Simon's and
Sonia's return to Colombia would undercut his extradition
policy, noting the GOC had extradited a third FARC member to
the United States the day before. He said the GOC has not
renounced its efforts to achieve a military rescue, and
stressed that continued military pressure*with U.S.help*on
the FARC Secretariat is key to achieving an eventual peace
accord. Uribe added that the GOC would not attempt to rescue
the U.S. hostages without coordinating beforehand with the
USG.

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PLAN COLOMBIA
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9. (C) The Ambassador said that the U.S. Congress is working
to reconcile conflicting versions of our foreign assistance
package to Colombia. Both would maintain a substantial
assistance package, but would boost spending on manual
eradication, the Prosecutor General's Office, and vulnerable
communities, such as indigenous, Afro-Colombians and
internally displaced persons, at the likely expense of
traditional security and counter narcotics programs. The
U.S. Congress also wants greater progress on nationalization.
We were willing to work with the GOC, but nationalization
was inevitable. We could manage it ourselves, or let the
Congress impose it. General McCaffrey,s upcoming visit
would provide an opportunity to review these issues in
greater detail.


10. (C) Uribe said he understood the need for change, and
agreed on the importance of more funding for manual
eradication, the Fiscalia, and vulnerable communities. He
committed to instructing Defense Minister Santos to work
closely with the Ambassador on nationalization, and asked the
USG to consider boosting funding for his &forest families8
(guardabosques) program. This program creates legitimate
employment for peasant families in areas where commercial
crops, such as African Palm and cacao, are not viable. Uribe
stressed the value of continued efforts to unify USG and UN
measurements of coca cultivation in Colombia, and urged the
USG to highlight recent increases in cocaine prices and
declines in purity in the United States. The USG should also
help publicize recent GOC successes in capturing and
extraditing major narcotraffickers such as Don Diego Montoya
and Luis Hernandez Gomez Bustamante (Rasguno).

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EXTRADITION OF MACACO AND DON BERNAL
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11. (C) Uribe said the GOC possesses clear evidence of
Macaco,s continued involvement in criminal activities after
joining the paramilitary peace process, and reiterated his
commitment to extradite him as soon as the USG presents its
request. Macaco was the successor to Pablo Escobar and his
extradition would deal a major blow to narcotrafficking in
Colombia. In contrast, Uribe said the GOC lacks &solid8
proof of continued criminal activity by Don Berna.
Moreover, reports from the Mayor's Office in Medellin
indicate Berna is complying in good faith with his peace
process obligations. Uribe said he would extradite Berna if
the evidence warrants it, but the GOC does not have such
proof at this time.
Brownfield