AUSTRIA: KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON THE FARC

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 001037 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2023 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER SNAR AF AU SUBJECT: AUSTRIA: KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON THE FARC REF: STATE 77205 Classified By: ECON/POL Counselor Dean Yap. Reason: 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Econ/Pol Counselor delivered reftel message to Austrian MFA Americas Director Isabel Rauscher July 22. Rauscher reported that Austria's July 3 statement welcoming the liberation of Ingrid Betancourt and the other hostages had included the following call for the FARC to release all hostages and disarm: "The FARC should cease its armed conflict, unconditionally and immediately release all the hostages in its power and accept the disarmament offer of the Colombian government." ¶2. (C) Emboff noted two further concrete ways by which Austria, which has an Embassy in Caracas, and the EU could contribute to the defeat of the FARC: To call on the Venezuelan government to take concrete steps to cease all support for the FARC, such as the provision of safe-haven, and to press Venezuela to take stronger action to prevent the transit of narcotics form Colombia. Rauscher undertook to relay these messages to her superiors. ¶3. (C) Action Request: At the close of the discussion, Rauscher asked for any further information on concrete measures Venezuela or other former FARC allies could take and for an assessment of the condition of the FARC. Post would welcome any information Department can provide on these points. Girard-diCarlo