COUNSELOR COHEN'S DECEMBER 20 MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 008651

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2017
TAGS: PGOV PINS PTER ECON CO VZ
SUBJECT: COUNSELOR COHEN'S DECEMBER 20 MEETING WITH
PRESIDENT URIBE

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

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (C) President Uribe told Counselor Eliot Cohen on
December 20 of his growing concern over Venezuelan President
Chavez and suggested that the USG and GOC hold "strategic
consultations" on Venezuela. Uribe said the GOC's immediate
priorities remain U.S. congressional approval of the Colombia
Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA),defeating the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and narcotraffickers, and
building social cohesion. Uribe asked Counselor Cohen for
his views on Colombian counter-insurgency efforts, as well as
overall impressions. Cohen noted the Colombian military's
impressive efforts and believes the GOC is well on its way to
winning the war against the FARC and drug traffickers.
Beyond immediate issues, Cohen said the United States and
Colombia should think about building their strategic
relationship. End Summary.

--------------
PARTICIPANTS
--------------


2. (U) UNITED STATES

State Department Counselor Dr. Eliot Cohen
Ambassador William Brownfield
Military Advisor to the Counselor, Col. Steve Ganyard
Special Assistant to the Counselor, Kelly Magsamen
Political Officer, Elaine French (note-taker)

COLOMBIA

President Alvaro Uribe
Minister of Foreign Affairs Fernando Araujo
Minister of Defense Juan Manual Santos
Reintegration Commissioner Frank Pearl
Vice-Minister of Defense Juan Carlos Pinzon
MFA U.S. and Canada Coordinator Patricia Cortes

--------------
NEW CONCERNS OVER CTPA
--------------


3. (C) President Uribe expressed his thanks for President
Bush's efforts to promote the CTPA, but voiced concern over
the prospect that the CTPA might not gain approval by
Congress in early 2008. Uribe speculated that with a change
in administration in the U.S., prospects for CTPA approval
might diminish further. Cohen suggested that the GOC should
consider reaching out now to key staffers on presidential
campaigns to educate them on the importance of CTPA to
Colombia and the region. Uribe said he would consider
inviting such staffers to visit Colombia before the
presidential campaigns became too heated.

--------------
IMPRESSIONS OF COLOMBIAN MILITARY EFFORTS
--------------


4. (C) Following visits to the departments of Meta, Caqueta,
Valle de Cauca and Choco, Cohen highlighted the Colombian
military's impressive efforts to attack high value targets
(HVTs) and to consolidate gains made in areas previously held
by the FARC. He noted the remarkable GOC success in
promoting interagency cooperation through such mechanisms as
the Center for Coordination and Integrated Action (CCAI). He
added that he was also impressed that each of the military
commanders he met spoke of the importance of legitimacy
within their communities, human rights, and justice. Cohen
said that the Colombian military must start thinking about
its future role after defeating the FARC. He believed that
within the region, the Colombian military far surpasses their
neighbors and could prove a highly valuable partner in
international peacekeeping and regional training initiatives.

--------------
CALL FOR A MORE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP
--------------



5. (C) Uribe said that Colombia remains the closest ally of
the U.S. in Latin America, it continues to overcome its
internal problems, but needs continued U.S. support. To
build public support for the U.S.-Colombian alliance, the two
countries need to work together to obtain CTPA passage and to
continue cooperation in counternarcotics and
counterterrorism. Uribe said Colombia's future success
relies on further progress in three fundamental areas:
democratic security; investment confidence; and social
cohesion. Cohen agreed on their importance, but said their
two countries should consider building a strategic
relationship that went beyond Plan Colombia. Cohen explained
that he believes the U.S. could learn a lot from Colombia's
successes, particularly their interagency efforts through
CCAI. He suggested the need for two different kinds of
dialogues; improved intelligence sharing focused on
Venezuelan, as well as a senior policy dialogue.

--------------
THE LOOMING THREAT NEXT DOOR
--------------


6. (C) Defense Minister Santos asked Cohen how the GOC should
deal with the current situation with Venezuela, explaining
that Chavez threatened Colombia on a number of levels,
including the spread of "Bolivarian ideology" and possible
material support to the FARC. Cohen said that the U.S. would
eventually outlast Chavez and meanwhile avoid confrontation
that would only help Chavez. Uribe responded that Colombia
did not have the luxury of thinking long-term. Venezuela
posed immediate security and commercial challenges for
Colombia. Venezuela is one of the largest importers of
Colombia's goods, and Chavez has the power to undermine the
Colombian economy if he wishes. Uribe said a "strategic
dialogue" with the U.S. on Venezuela, possibly in the context
of the strategic framework memorandum of understanding signed
last March, would prove useful.


7. (U) Counselor Eliot Cohen did not clear this cable.
Brownfield