DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S JUNE 1 MEETING WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 002054 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2018 TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL PTER EC CO SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S JUNE 1 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT URIBE Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) President Alvaro Uribe told Deputy Secretary Negroponte on June 1 that he appreciated President Bush's efforts to obtain congressional passage of the Colombian Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) at a bi-lateral meeting during the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly meeting in Medellin, Colombia. He voiced concern the CTPA would die if it were considered by Congress in a lame duck session. Uribe said Colombia is the leader among countries in opposing President Chavez' "Bolivarian Revolution," noting that high oil prices give Chavez substantial leverage in the region. The Deputy underscored U.S. efforts to improve regional relations and support, especially with Brazil. Uribe reiterated the GOC's commitment to improving relations with Ecuador, but noted that Ecuador must stop allowing terrorists to operate on its territory. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Participants: U.S.: -------------- Deputy Secretary John D. Negroponte Ambassador William R. Brownfield Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Craig A. Kelly U.S. Permanent Representative to the OAS Hector E. Morales Mary Sue Conaway, D Staff Kelly Hapka Carrillo, notetaker Colombian: -------------- President Alvaro Uribe Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo Colombian Permanent Representative to the OAS Camilo Ospina Vice Foreign Minister Camilo Reyes Alicia Arango, Senior Adviser to the President Patricia Cortes, MFA ¶3. (C) Uribe was visibly tired from staying up the previous night responding to a serious, fatal mudslide in Medellin. The Deputy reviewed the status of the CTPA, saying any clear timeline was unlikely due to the change in congressional rules. President Uribe thought the overall result of sending the CTPA to the Congress was positive as it: 1) gave Colombia the most positive U.S. press and visibility in history, 2) sparked public debate, and 3) required undecided Congressmen to explain their positions. He was thankful for the personal letter from President Bush last week, and his frequent public comments supporting approval of the Colombian CTPA. ¶4. (C) Uribe noted the transformation in Medellin as symbolic of the Colombian success story. He suggested that when he was Mayor 15 years earlier, security would not have permitted them to meet there in central Medellin. He voiced concern about attempting to pass the CTPA during the lame duck session, noting that this would be risky. Uribe said if the CTPA were rejected, the next Colombian presidential candidates might look for "other strategic partners" in the region. The Deputy Secretary raised ongoing human rights and labor criticisms by civil society groups against the GOC. Uribe said the union movement in Colombia was "highly ideologized" which added to the complexity of how to best address the labor violence issue. ¶5. (C) The Deputy Secretary underscored U.S. efforts to improve regional relations, especially with Brazil. Uribe noted that Colombia remains the leader among countries that act as a hemispheric counterweight to the "Bolivarian Revolution." Other like-minded countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, and most of Central America may lend quiet support but have chosen not to take public stands. He said Colombia stood alone in rejecting Brazil's South American Security Council Initiative. Uribe commented that the biggest constraint on countries opposed to Chavez' "Bolivarian Revolution" is the power afforded Venezuela by high oil prices. Uribe stated he wants to increase petroleum exploration projects and explore alternatives such as African palm oil and sugar cane, adding that foreign investment would be imperative in these areas. ¶6. (C) Uribe said he wants to have a "friendly, calm and honest" conversation with Ecuador to resolve ongoing tensions after Colombia's March 1 cross-border operation. He only asks one thing from Ecuador: stop allowing terrorists to operate on their soil. Uribe added that the GOC has confirmed that two specific Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) insurgents are operating in Ecuador, but said Colombia would raise this issue privately with the Ecuadorians. ¶7. (SBU) As the meeting concluded, Ambassador Brownfield encouraged the Foreign Minister to recognize Kosovo's independence. He also sought GOC support for the U.S. candidate to lead the International Organization on Migration (IOM) Director General. FM Araujo said he understood the issues, and promised final decisions soon. ¶8. (U) Cleared by D staff. BROWNFIELD