Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BOGOTA7804
2007-11-01 17:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S OCTOBER 29 MEETING WITH
how-toVZCZCXRO5647 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHBO #7804 3051745 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 011745Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9855 INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 9491 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ PRIORITY 9013 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 5578 RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 0773 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 6215 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN PRIORITY 0012 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 4153
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 007804
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PTER VE VT CO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S OCTOBER 29 MEETING WITH
CARDINAL PEDRO RUBIANO
Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield
Reason: 1.4 (b) and (d)
-------
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 007804
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PTER VE VT CO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S OCTOBER 29 MEETING WITH
CARDINAL PEDRO RUBIANO
Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield
Reason: 1.4 (b) and (d)
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The Ambassador told Cardinal Pedro Rubiano on October
29 that the USG would consider joint efforts with the Church
on health, education, and poverty reduction projects.
Rubiano said the National Conciliation Commission has useful
insights into peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC) and Army of National Liberation (ELN).
Rubiano encouraged the Ambassador to meet with the
Commission. The Ambassador welcomed such a meeting. Rubiano
added that the Catholic Church in Venezuela faces increasing
pressure from President Chavez, and said that the Vatican and
other Churches in the region should support it during this
difficult period. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Ambassador Brownfield paid a courtesy call on
Cardinal Pedro Rubiano, Archbishop of Bogota. Rubiano
welcomed the Ambassador to Colombia, and noted that he had
several friends in the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Conference.
The Ambassador said that the USG wants to maintain excellent
relations with the Catholic Church, and voiced a willingness
to work with the Church on social programs, including health,
education and poverty reduction projects. U.S. support could
come through USAID or U.S. business and non-governmental
groups.
3. (C) The Ambassador noted that we support any credible
initiatives designed to achieve the liberation of all the
hostages held by the FARC, including the three American
citizens, and asked for the Cardinal's assessment of Senator
Cordoba's and President Chavez' efforts to facilitate a
humanitarian exchange. Rubiano remarked on the difficulty of
negotiations with the FARC and ELN due to their rigid
ideological positions and that President Uribe also strongly
holds his ground. Rubiano created the National Conciliation
Commission, which consists of clergy, former GOC officials,
and civil society representative, in 1995 to promote peace
initiatives with the FARC, ELN and other illegal armed
groups. He said that the Commission members have useful
insights into peace talks with the two groups, and urged the
Ambassador to meet with them. The Ambassador replied that he
would welcome such a session.
4. (C) The Cardinal said the Colombian Catholic Church
maintains close ties with the Venezuelan Church. His
Venezuelan counterparts face growing pressure from President
Chavez; the Vatican and Catholic Bishops throughout the
region should support their Venezuelan colleagues during this
difficult period. Rubiano said he had lobbied his fellow
bishops to elect Venezuelan Archbishop Baltazar Porras as
Secretary General of the Latin American Bishops Conference
SIPDIS
(CELAM) to give him a reason to travel regularly out of
Venezuela. In the end, however, the bishops elected Porras
First Vice-president.
Brownfield
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PTER VE VT CO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S OCTOBER 29 MEETING WITH
CARDINAL PEDRO RUBIANO
Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield
Reason: 1.4 (b) and (d)
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The Ambassador told Cardinal Pedro Rubiano on October
29 that the USG would consider joint efforts with the Church
on health, education, and poverty reduction projects.
Rubiano said the National Conciliation Commission has useful
insights into peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC) and Army of National Liberation (ELN).
Rubiano encouraged the Ambassador to meet with the
Commission. The Ambassador welcomed such a meeting. Rubiano
added that the Catholic Church in Venezuela faces increasing
pressure from President Chavez, and said that the Vatican and
other Churches in the region should support it during this
difficult period. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Ambassador Brownfield paid a courtesy call on
Cardinal Pedro Rubiano, Archbishop of Bogota. Rubiano
welcomed the Ambassador to Colombia, and noted that he had
several friends in the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Conference.
The Ambassador said that the USG wants to maintain excellent
relations with the Catholic Church, and voiced a willingness
to work with the Church on social programs, including health,
education and poverty reduction projects. U.S. support could
come through USAID or U.S. business and non-governmental
groups.
3. (C) The Ambassador noted that we support any credible
initiatives designed to achieve the liberation of all the
hostages held by the FARC, including the three American
citizens, and asked for the Cardinal's assessment of Senator
Cordoba's and President Chavez' efforts to facilitate a
humanitarian exchange. Rubiano remarked on the difficulty of
negotiations with the FARC and ELN due to their rigid
ideological positions and that President Uribe also strongly
holds his ground. Rubiano created the National Conciliation
Commission, which consists of clergy, former GOC officials,
and civil society representative, in 1995 to promote peace
initiatives with the FARC, ELN and other illegal armed
groups. He said that the Commission members have useful
insights into peace talks with the two groups, and urged the
Ambassador to meet with them. The Ambassador replied that he
would welcome such a session.
4. (C) The Cardinal said the Colombian Catholic Church
maintains close ties with the Venezuelan Church. His
Venezuelan counterparts face growing pressure from President
Chavez; the Vatican and Catholic Bishops throughout the
region should support their Venezuelan colleagues during this
difficult period. Rubiano said he had lobbied his fellow
bishops to elect Venezuelan Archbishop Baltazar Porras as
Secretary General of the Latin American Bishops Conference
SIPDIS
(CELAM) to give him a reason to travel regularly out of
Venezuela. In the end, however, the bishops elected Porras
First Vice-president.
Brownfield