U.S.-COLOMBIA LAUNCHES STRATEGIC POLICY DIALOGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 002855 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KJUS CO PINS SOCI SNAR PTER ETRD BL, VE, EC, BR, PE SUBJECT: U.S.-COLOMBIA LAUNCHES STRATEGIC POLICY DIALOGUE ON REGIONAL, GLOBAL ISSUES Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield for Reasons 1.4(b and d ) ¶1. (C) Summary: On July 23, Dr. David F. Gordon, the State Department's Director of the Office of Policy Planning (S/P), led the first Policy Planning talks with the GOC. The talks were carried out under the March 2007 U.S.-Colombian strategic framework agreement. The meetings in Bogota with FM Bermudez, Vice Minister Camilo Reyes, and other senior GOC interlocutors focused on long-term economic, security, and environmental challenges in a changing international context. Gordon stressed that Colombia's success in addressing its internal challenges left it well-positioned to exploit global and regional trends and play a global role advancing widely shared goals. The GOC's experience in building democratic institutions and the rule of law in its fight against terrorism/transnational crime could help other countries in various regions, including Iraq and Afghanistan. GOC efforts to work with like-minded countries to promote economic integration, democratic institutions, and security cooperation could also help stabilize the region. End Summary. U.S. Participants: S/P Director Dr. David Gordon Ambassador William R. Brownfield WHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher McMullen S/P Deputy Director William McIlhenny Political Counselor John Creamer Deputy Political Counselor Julie Chung (notetaker) GOC Participants: Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Jaime Bermudez MFA Vice Minister Camilo Reyes Ministry of Defense (MOD) Vice Minister Sergio Jaramillo MFA Director of Multilateral Relations Clara Ines Vargas MFA Director of the Americas Paola Lugari MFA Coordinator for U.S. and Canada Patricia Cortes Ministry of National Planning, Director of Justice and Security Paola Buendia -------------- Opportunities for Regional, Global Role -------------- ¶2. (C) S/P Director David Gordon led the U.S. delegation in our first bilateral Policy Planning dialogue with the GOC at the Foreign Ministry in Bogota on July 23. The talks were held under the umbrella of the bilateral Strategic Security Relationship to Promote Cooperation signed in March 2007. Gordon said Secretary Rice had directed him to begin this dialogue with Colombia, and noted that we have far-reaching Policy Planning talks with only a limited number of key allies and partners, such as Australia, Brazil, Chile, Japan, China, Canada, and several European governments. ¶3. (C) Gordon noted a number of trends that are reshaping the international environment and presenting the U.S., Colombia, and other members of the international community with new opportunities and tests. He mentioned: 1) the growth of effective, competent states willing to work cooperatively in new ways to respond to 21st century challenges that require sustained and broad address; 2) the growing complexity of the security challenges the international community faces; 3) the diversification of power in the world, exemplified by the shifting of power centers from the Atlantic to Pacific basins; and 4) environmental and economic trends that make global financial management much harder. ¶4. (C) Against that backdrop, he said Colombia's human and economic resources, and success in addressing its internal security and governance challenges, left it well-placed to exploit many global and regional trends. Colombia is likewise well prepared to play a larger international role in support of a number of objectives that can help build a stable, prosperous and secure world. Gordon noted specifically that the GOC's experience in strengthening democratic institutions and rule of law in its fight against terrorism/transnational crime could be usefully applied in other countries such as Afghanistan. Its counternarcotics achievements could also be relevant in Mexico and Brazil--two countries that face major narcotrafficking challenges. ¶5. (C) Newly appointed Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez thanked President Bush for his support for the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Act (CTPA) and emphasized that the GOC is addressing human rights concerns, including protection of unionists. The participation of the Brazilian and Peruvian presidents in Colombia's July 20 independence day celebration, as well as the popular marches the same day demanding an end to FARC violence, showed the countries' renewed confidence in Colombia as well as their willingness to cooperate on security and narcotrafficking. Bermudez said Colombia's ability to combat terrorism while preserving democracy and human rights was "unique" in Latin America and could offer useful "lessons learned" to other countries. He stressed that the GOC has complemented its security effort with social programs aimed at promoting social inclusion. Greater social cohesion is key to achieve lasting security and improved economic competitiveness. -------------- -- Regional Vigilance Needed in Fight Against FARC -------------- -- ¶6. (C) Vice Defense Minister Sergio Jaramillo noted that the GOC's recent rescue of Colombian and U.S. hostages held by the FARC reflected GOC success in sharply improving its military capabilities. Colombia's story deserves more international recognition. Ongoing, sustained pressure by security forces has nearly dismantled the powerful Norte de Valle drug cartel, and also produced the capture or death of key FARC leaders. He said Colombia is starting to export some of the expertise developed in fighting narco-terrorism, including sending anti-kidnapping experts to Haiti, sharing counternarcotic tactics with Mexico, and training police in Afghanistan. This was a critical time for Colombia to continue working with its neighbors to build upon its successes. ¶7. (C) MFA Vice Minister Camilo Reyes said differing ideological conceptions of democracy and economic models could impede progress in Latin America. Gordon cautioned that Latin America's ideological challenges transcend traditional left-right divisions. Instead, they contrast the authoritarian, state-centered development model promoted by Venezuela with the market-based, democratic approach favored by Chile, Brazil, and Colombia. He noted that the most interesting and promising social experiments in the region were taking place in the latter group. DAS McMullen said the U.S. supports a positive regional consensus in favor of economic integration, democracy, and security cooperation, but seeks to avoid direct conflict with Venezuela, Ecuador, or Bolivia. He noted that the Organization of American States (OAS) missed an opportunity to support Colombia in the debate over the GOC's attack on Raul Reyes' camp in Ecuador. Too many countries valued abstract notions of sovereignty over Colombia's legitimate security needs. Still, he urged the GOC to work with Mexico, Brazil, and Peru to provide a positive alternative to Venezuela's authoritarian model. -------------- -------------- The Challenge of Balancing Regional Interests and Conflicts -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) Reyes reviewed Colombia's active participation in regional groups such as Union of South American Nations (UNASUR),Plan Puebla-Panama, and the Association of Caribbean States, as well as efforts to promote closer ties between the Andean Community and the European Union (EU) and Mercosur. Free Trade Agreements with the United States and Canada remained top priorities. but Colombia also seeks to expand its commercial ties with other regions. On Bolivia, Reyes said Colombia is working with Brazil and Argentina to promote a peaceful, democratic resolution to the conflict between President Morales and his political opponents. He said Morales sees himself as the president of Bolivia's indigenous, not all Bolivians. The result is a polarizing approach which has weakened Bolivia's fragile democratic institutions, including the judiciary, and threatens to produce an institutional rupture. He said the GOC would remain engaged, but voiced concern that the presidential and prefect recall elections set for August 10 would only encourage both sides to harden their positions. ¶9. (C) On Venezuela, Reyes identified several factors that led to Chavez' decision to tone down his rhetoric against Colombia and speak out against the FARC. He said Chavez' domestic poll numbers are down, and Venezuelans do not support his attacks against Uribe. Moreover, his international and regional support has deteriorated due to his rhetorical and political excesses. For example, no one in the region supported his call last January for countries to grant the FARC belligerent status. Jaramillo added that Chavez' shift is likely tactical, not strategic. The computer files seized by the GOC at the Reyes camp show many key Chavez advisors are closely tied to the terrorist group. Reyes said GOC relations with career Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry officials are positive, but noted that improvements in GOC-GOE ties depend on President Correa's domestic political calculations. Unlike in Venezuela, Correa's believes his criticism of Uribe pays domestic political dividends, making an improvement in bilateral relations unlikely until Correa has obtained popular approval of his new Constitution. ¶10. (C) Gordon reiterated that Colombia and Brazil are the best positioned countries in South America to enhance their influence in the region and world. He urged the GOC to try to deepen cooperation with Brazil on counternarcotics, counterterrorism, environmental, and energy issues. He added that narcotrafficking would remain a long-term challenge as the FARC's weakening control over the drug trade is replaced by new criminal groups. ¶11. (C) Comment: While the talks began on global themes, their quick migration to regional and national issues reflects the very local focus of Colombia's diplomatic and national security focus. The Policy Planning format was a useful means to begin broadening a bilateral dialogue that, while rich and wide, has likewise been centered largely on Colombia's internal challenges. Over subsequent iterations, we should continue to discuss broader international trends in a way that helps the GOC think more expansively about its role in the world and the region. GOC interlocutors were interested in our informal suggestions that it might be worthwhile to hold an expanded session with Peru and Chile, but careful to note this should be pursued tactically in a manner that does not make it appear the U.S. is excluding Brazil. MOD Vice Minister Jaramillo suggested that one way to do this might be for another country, such as Chile, to convene a multilateral round of Policy Planning talks. ¶12. (U) S/P staff has cleared this message. BROWNFIELD