Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BOGOTA3953
2008-10-29 19:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
GOC SKEPTICAL OF FARC WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003953
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KJUS CO
SUBJECT: GOC SKEPTICAL OF FARC WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE
Classified By: Political Counselor John Creamer
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)
FARC SUGGESTS WILLINGNESS TO TALK PEACE
---------------------------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003953
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KJUS CO
SUBJECT: GOC SKEPTICAL OF FARC WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE
Classified By: Political Counselor John Creamer
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)
FARC SUGGESTS WILLINGNESS TO TALK PEACE
--------------
1. (U) The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
issued a letter, dated October 16, saying the group is
willing to talk about a political solution to Colombia's
conflict as well as a humanitarian release of its hostages.
The communique, released publicly on October 28, responds to
a September 11 letter to the FARC's Secretariat from Liberal
Party Senator Piedad Cordoba and 150 mostly Colombian
intellectuals, politicians, and journalists inviting the
group to engage in a public, written dialogue on alternatives
to the armed conflict and a humanitarian exchange of
FARC-held hostages for GOC-held FARC members. The letter
also asks the FARC to allow the participation of other Latin
American presidents and the heads of state of "several
friendly European countries" to help support a dialogue.
2. (U) The Secretariat agreed to engage in a written exchange
with the letter's authors and called its own letter the
"beginning of that dialogue." The FARC condemned what they
called the GOC's "direction of perpetual war" and "false
triumphalism," but said it would dialogue with the authors
"without dogmatism or sectarianism." The Secretariat agreed
that the involvement of Latin American presidents might help
move the discussion forward, and highlighted its voluntary
release of six hostages earlier this year as "an authentic
testimony to the FARC's political will" to seek a peaceful
solution. Local media were cautiously optimistic, and
several outlets commented that this is the first time the
FARC has mentioned the possibility of a peace dialogue
without first demanding a demilitarized zone (despeje).
Still, it is unclear whether the FARC has dropped its demand
for a despeje as a condition for talks with the GOC.
BUT GOC SEES NOTHING NEW IN FARC RESPONSE
--------------
3. (C) Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told us on
October 28 that the GOC considers the FARC letter "to be
nothing new." The letter does not recognize the need to talk
directly with the GOC to achieve peace and simply continues
the FARC's tactic of reaching out to sympathetic
interntational and domestic interlocutors in an effort to
isolate the GOC. He said the GOC has no information to
suggest the FARC has rethought its hardline stance and is now
interested in a genuine peace process. Restrepo added that
the GOC will try to avoid commenting publicly on the
intiative, but, if pressed, will note that the letter does
not break any new ground.
BROWNFIELD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KJUS CO
SUBJECT: GOC SKEPTICAL OF FARC WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE
Classified By: Political Counselor John Creamer
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)
FARC SUGGESTS WILLINGNESS TO TALK PEACE
--------------
1. (U) The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
issued a letter, dated October 16, saying the group is
willing to talk about a political solution to Colombia's
conflict as well as a humanitarian release of its hostages.
The communique, released publicly on October 28, responds to
a September 11 letter to the FARC's Secretariat from Liberal
Party Senator Piedad Cordoba and 150 mostly Colombian
intellectuals, politicians, and journalists inviting the
group to engage in a public, written dialogue on alternatives
to the armed conflict and a humanitarian exchange of
FARC-held hostages for GOC-held FARC members. The letter
also asks the FARC to allow the participation of other Latin
American presidents and the heads of state of "several
friendly European countries" to help support a dialogue.
2. (U) The Secretariat agreed to engage in a written exchange
with the letter's authors and called its own letter the
"beginning of that dialogue." The FARC condemned what they
called the GOC's "direction of perpetual war" and "false
triumphalism," but said it would dialogue with the authors
"without dogmatism or sectarianism." The Secretariat agreed
that the involvement of Latin American presidents might help
move the discussion forward, and highlighted its voluntary
release of six hostages earlier this year as "an authentic
testimony to the FARC's political will" to seek a peaceful
solution. Local media were cautiously optimistic, and
several outlets commented that this is the first time the
FARC has mentioned the possibility of a peace dialogue
without first demanding a demilitarized zone (despeje).
Still, it is unclear whether the FARC has dropped its demand
for a despeje as a condition for talks with the GOC.
BUT GOC SEES NOTHING NEW IN FARC RESPONSE
--------------
3. (C) Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told us on
October 28 that the GOC considers the FARC letter "to be
nothing new." The letter does not recognize the need to talk
directly with the GOC to achieve peace and simply continues
the FARC's tactic of reaching out to sympathetic
interntational and domestic interlocutors in an effort to
isolate the GOC. He said the GOC has no information to
suggest the FARC has rethought its hardline stance and is now
interested in a genuine peace process. Restrepo added that
the GOC will try to avoid commenting publicly on the
intiative, but, if pressed, will note that the letter does
not break any new ground.
BROWNFIELD