GOC CONSIDERS WAYS TO REVIVE ELN TALKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000595 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL PTER KAID CO SUBJECT: GOC CONSIDERS WAYS TO REVIVE ELN TALKS Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield - Reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Summary. GOC Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told us the National Liberation Army (ELN) remains wedded to Venezuelan President Chavez and has expressed no interest in resuming peace talks. Still, Restrepo said the GOC would like to revive negotiations on the basis of previous GOC-ELN discussions last August, and authorized Columbia University's Aldo Civico to approach the ELN on this basis. Restrepo also authorized Civico to convey to the ELN that the GOC would accept Civico's participation in a next round of talks if the ELN made a gesture to confirm its seriousness. Civico, who has met with ELN spokesman Francisco Galan and Central Committee member Pablo Beltran in the past, requested U.S. funding to start the process. End Summary. -------------- GOC: ELN Stuck -------------- ¶2. (C) GOC Peace Commissioner Restrepo told us February 7 that the ELN has expressed no interest in resuming peace talks with the GOC. ELN leaders fear the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),lack political vision and courage, face resistance from mid-level commanders involved in narcotraficking, and believe Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will boost their sagging political fortunes. Restrepo said ELN strategy appears focused on supporting Chavez while exploiting opportunities to seek additional international recognition. He said the GOC would not accept a mediation role for Chavez, nor Caracas as the site of future GOC-ELN talks. The GOC will also not provide the ELN with a forum to meet with international groups or countries. The last round of ELN-GOC talks occurred in August 2007 in Havana. -------------- GOC Looking for Way to Move Ahead -------------- ¶3. (C) Restrepo said that despite the lack of positive signals from the ELN, the GOC remains committed to pursuing a cease-fire or peace deal with the group, and could renew talks on the basis of previous GOC-ELN discussions. Prior to the August 2007 talks, the GOC and ELN had identified the core elements of a framework agreement for talks. Still, Restrepo cautioned that the GOC would need some tangible sign, such as a unilateral release of hostages by the ELN, before taking the negotiations seriously. The GOC would not simply return to the negotiating table to talk endlessly with the ELN. -------------- GOC Considers Columbia University -------------- ¶4. (C) Aldo Civico, Columbia University's Director of the Center for International Conflict Resolution, also met with Restrepo and PolCouns to discuss ways to move the ELN process forward. Civico agreed that given previous ELN dilatory tactics in the negotiations, a concrete signal from the ELN remains critical to moving ahead with talks. He added that Chavez' role would make it difficult to entice the ELN into negotiations. Restrepo replied that -- despite its closeness to Chavez -- the ELN remains interested in opening channels of communication with the USG. Restrepo said several ELN leaders believe Civico offers a connection to the USG as well as to members of the U.S. Congress. ¶5. (C) To attract the ELN back to the table, Restrepo said he would authorize Civico to convey to the ELN (through former ELN spokesman Francisco Galan) that the GOC would authorize Columbia University and Civico to participate in the next round of negotiations -- but only if the ELN agreed to talks on the basis of the previous proposals and sent a signal of its seriousness. Civico agreed to reach out to the ELN through Galan. ¶6. (C) Civico told us after the meeting that he would not immediately try to define what signal the ELN would need to make to show its seriousness. He would also move cautiously before crafting a message to the ELN. Civico asked us if the USG would provide funding to get the process started. PolCouns said the USG would consider any proposal, but would move forward only with GOC approval. Brownfield