GENERAL PETER PACE'S SEPTEMBER 13 MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 007017 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR PTER PHUM CO SUBJECT: GENERAL PETER PACE'S SEPTEMBER 13 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT URIBE Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield Reason: 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (U) September 13, 2007, Cartagena Airport, 60 minutes ¶2. (U) Participants: United States SouthCom Commander ADM James Stavridis Ambassador William Brownfield Colombia Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos Military Forces Commander GEN Fredy Padilla Army Commander GEN Mario Montoya Navy Commander ADM Guillermo Barrera Senator Marta Lucia Ramirez -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶3. (C) President Uribe noted to General Pace the GOC's recent string of successes against high-level leaders of multiple illegal armed groups, saying he hoped these would help mute criticism of Colombia in the U.S. Congress. Uribe conveyed his frustration with opposition to the FTA, feeling it was partly a punishment for his and the GOC's close ties to the Bush Administration. He highlighted the GOC's steady and broad efforts to support of U.S. interests. Uribe expressed skepticism of FARC intentions to negotiate peace, and vowed to continue cooperation to free the three U.S. hostages. The President agreed to the Ambassador's proposal to work with Defense Minister Santos to develop new ideas to combat drugs. Uribe thanked Pace for his support of Colombia, and said he looked forward to GOC-USG collaboration to extend social services to marginalized rural populations. End Summary. -------------- COLMIL TAKEDOWNS OF CRIMINAL BOSSES -------------- ¶4. (C) President Uribe opened by describing the successful recent takedown of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 16th front commander "Negro Acacio" and the capture of Norte de Valle cocaine cartel head Diego Montoya. He also noted his removal of former AUC commander "Macaco" from the Justice and Peace Law process due to his continued involvement in crime as well as his transfer of AUC commander "Don Berna" to Combita maximum security prison. Uribe told Pace he hoped to extradite Montoya, Berna, and Macaco to the U.S. soon. He also hoped these successful operations would have a therapeutic effect on some in the U.S. who have criticized Colombia as they contemplated a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Pace congratulated Uribe on the successes and said they demonstrated the professionalism and competence he had come to expect from the GOC since 2000. -------------- FRUSTRATION ON FTA -------------- ¶5. (C) Uribe expressed his frustration with Congressional opposition to the FTA. The United States has no better friend in Latin America than Colombia, he said, and he and his Government had paid a price in their regional relationships for being perceived as close U.S. allies. This despite having done more to address human rights, reform the economy, encourage investment, and attack narcotics traffickers than any other government in Colombian history, Uribe recognized that some of this was institutional, e.g. from organized labor and environmental groups, and that some Congressional districts likely have specific reasons to oppose the FTA. Still, he felt the opposition to Colombia's FTA also reflected, in part, punishment for being allied to President Bush. -------------- FARC AND MARULANDA -------------- ¶6. (C) General Pace assured Uribe the USG held him in the highest esteem, with widespread appreciation for his success in the field against narco-traffickers and illegal armed groups. Uribe said a defeat of the FARC remained the one gift he really wanted now from the Colombian military. He did not believe that the FARC had any true intention of negotiating for peace and if the Armed Forces could take down FARC Supreme Leader Manuel Marulanda, he would conclude his presidency a happy man. -------------- U.S. HOSTAGES -------------- ¶7. (C) Pace asked Uribe not to forget the three U.S. citizens held hostage by the FARC for the past 4.5 years as he formulated his future strategies. Pace stressed that they were constantly on the minds of the entire USG and the American people. Uribe assured Pace that he would not forget, reiterating his commitment to communicate and cooperate with the U.S. on any intelligence or operation that might affect the three U.S. hostages. -------------- COUNTERNARCOTICS -------------- ¶8. (C) Uribe expressed some confusion over mixed signals on the counternarcotics front. The GOC has had great success in going after trafficking groups, as the recent high-profile takedowns demonstrated. Interdictions of cocaine and precursors have reached unprecedented levels. Yet reports showed the street price of cocaine unaffected or even falling. He asked Ambassador Brownfield what more he could do. The Ambassador noted that counter-drug efforts were not a static process. Traffickers constantly adapted to government efforts against them, so the GOC and USG should relentlessly rethink their assumptions, policies, and programs. We should adjust to their new cultivation techniques, their geographic moves, and their shifting trafficking routes. The Ambassador noted that the Embassy and Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos owed Uribe some new ideas to consider in the coming months. Uribe offered a positive presidential grunt. -------------- NEW PROGRAMS -------------- ¶9. (C) Uribe closed by emphasizing the extraordinary gratitude and appreciation of the entire GOC for General Pace's support and efforts, which he hoped he could continue to count on. The chairman assured him he could. Uribe mused that he would soon be working with the U.S. Embassy on new rural programs and projects. He wanted to deliver services to communities who had been traditionally marginalized, and help correct the mistaken impression of the GOC among some in the U.S. Congress. ¶10. (U) CJCS and ADM Stavridis have cleared this message. Brownfield