GOC ANNOUNCES END OF MEDIATORS, SEEKS DIRECT \

161824 2008-07-11 22:33:00 08BOGOTA2506 Embassy Bogota CONFIDENTIAL VZCZCXYZ0000\
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DE RUEHBO #2506 1932233\
ZNY CCCCC ZZH\
P 112233Z JUL 08\
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA\
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3560\
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0693\
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JUL 9544\
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 6353\
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 7028\
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1336\
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 0327\
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 4495\
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1554\
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SIPDIS \
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2017 \
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KJUS CO PTER PREL PREF FR SP SZ
SUBJECT: GOC ANNOUNCES END OF MEDIATORS, SEEKS DIRECT \
CONTACT WITH FARC \
\
Classified By: Political Counselor John S. Creamer. \
Reason: 1.4 (b,d) \
\

1. (C) Summary: On July 8, President Uribe formally \
notified the European Ambassadors that he was terminating \
European facilitation efforts with the FARC, emphasizing that \
the decision reflected GOC concerns with facilitators Jean \
Pierre Gontard and Noel Saez rather than \
government-to-government issues. XXXXXXXXXXXX had previously announced that the GOC would \
seek direct contacts with the FARC because the GOC had lost \
confidence in Gontard and Saez. French Ambassador Jean \
Michel Marlaud told the Ambassador that Gontard and Saez met \
with the commander of the FARC's 29th front on June 29, but \
returned to Europe after failing to meet with FARC senior \
commander Alfonso Cano. XXXXXXXXXXXX told us the GOC sent a \
message to Secretariat members Pablo Catatumbo and Cano three \
weeks ago seeking direct contact. End summary. \
\

2. (U) XXXXXXXXXXXX said during a radio interview that the GOC would seek to \
establish direct contacts with the FARC because it had lost \
confidence in Swiss facilitator Jean Pierre Gontard and \
French official Noel Saez. He added that Gontard and Saez \
had acted more like political advisers to the FARC than \
honest brokers. XXXXXXXXXXXX also said the computer files found \
at Raul Reyes' camp suggested that Gontard had transported \
$480,000 from Colombia to Costa Rica for the FARC. \
\

3. (C) French Ambassador Jean Michel Marlaud told the \
Ambassador on July 7 that Gontard and Saez arrived in Bogota \
on June 25 -- based on email contacts with the FARC and \
previous communication with an Ecuadorian contact in Quito -- \
with the expectation they would meet with senior FARC leader \
Alfonso Cano in Cauca department. After receiving the green \
light from XXXXXXXXXXXX and Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos, \
they proceeded to Pasto (Narino department) on June 27. On \
June 29, Gontard and Saez met with the commander of the \
FARC's 29th front, who identified himself as "JJ." "JJ" \
said Cano was interested in speaking with them, but could not \
meet for at least three days. Saez and Gontard decided \
against waiting in the jungle and departed Bogota on June 30. \
Marlaud said they did not brief the GOC prior to departure. \
\

4. (C) At a July 8 meeting with WHA Assistant Secretary \
Thomas Shannon, President Uribe told us he had formally \
notified the European Ambassadors earlier that day that he \
was ending European facilitation efforts. Uribe explained \
this was not a government-to-government issue but rather a \
GOC concern with the two mediators themselves. He said the \
Europeans accepted the message gracefully. \
\

5. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX told us on July 10 that the GOC no longer \
considers international or domestic facilitators to be useful \
or necessary. The GOC has a reliable communications channel \
with Secretariat members Pablo Catatumbo and Cano, and sent a \
message to Catatumbo three weeks ago asking if the FARC \
wanted to initiate contact. The GOC is prepared to send an \
emissary to meet with the group if the answer is affirmative. \
XXXXXXXXXXXX said the purpose of the outreach is to determine if \
the FARC can be led into serious peace talks. In the past, \
Catatumbo and Cano had voiced interest in meeting with the \
GOC but had said they could not do so without Secretariat \
approval. XXXXXXXXXXXX voiced doubt that the overture would \
produce real results. A key test of the FARC's intentions \
would be their willingness to meet with him. The FARC has \
previously asserted that it would never negotiate with \
XXXXXXXXXXXX. \
BROWNFIELD \