URIBE CONDITIONS PEACE TALKS ON VERIFIABLE END TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 001104

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PTER PHUM CO
SUBJECT: URIBE CONDITIONS PEACE TALKS ON VERIFIABLE END TO
FARC CRIMINAL ACTS

Classified By: Political Counselor John Creamer
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)

SUMMARY
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1. (C) President Uribe reiterated on March 31 that the FARC
would have to verifiably cease all criminal activities if the
group wanted to engage the GOC on peace talks. Uribe's
comments followed the FARC's open letter to "Colombians for
Peace," in which it voiced its willingness to discuss a
humanitarian exchange and suggested it would no longer insist
on a demilitarized zone as a pre-condition. Uribe also
called on the international community to help the GOC fight
terrorism as the quickest road to peace--citing Plan Colombia
as an example of "effective support." Former Peace
Commissioner Restrepo told us he doubts the FARC wants real
talks, and said Uribe would have abolished the Peace
Commissioner's office after his resignation if not for
concern about possible international reaction. End Summary.


FARC MAY NOT INSIST ON DESPEJE
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2. (U) On March 28, the FARC released its third open letter
to the "Colombians for Peace" group led by Liberal Party
Senator Piedad Cordoba. The FARC said it "was ready for a
prisoner of war exchange," and indicated that the group would
not make its previous demand for a demilitarized zone
("despeje") an "insurmountable obstacle" to a humanitarian
accord. The FARC offered to provide proof of life to the
families of 20 police and military held hostage by the group,
and said it would hand over the remains of an Army major who
reportedly died while in FARC custody--but only in exchange
for the remains of FARC Secretariat members Raul Reyes and
Ivan Rios. The group also confirmed that Pablo Catatumbo,
Carlos Lozada, and Fabian Ramirez would be their spokesmen in
any negotiation process.


3. (U) The FARC failed to respond directly to "Colombians
for Peace's" previous request that it renounce kidnapping,
but it did claim that it currently holds only nine "economic"
hostages. Victim's rights group Pais Libre reported that its
research shows 472 "economic" hostages in the FARC's hands,
while families of the military held by the FARC asked why the
group only mentioned 20 military hostages--as opposed to the
22 which has been reported by victims' groups. Restrepo said
up to 3,500 FARC hostages remain unaccounted for over the
years, and accused the FARC of genocide.

CORDOBA TO PUSH GOC ON FARC OFFER
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4. (C) Cordoba told the media on March 31 that she would
"initiate negotiations" with the GOC aimed at starting talks
on a humanitarian accord. She would attempt to meet with
High Commissioner for Reintegration Frank Pearl--who assumed
the duties of the Office of Peace Commissioner after the
resignation of Luis Carlos Restrepo--on April 1 to discuss
the proposal as well as the logistics for release of proof of
life and exchange of remains. Cordoba said she is
"optimistic," and highlighted the importance of the FARC
change in position on the despeje. In contrast, Liberal
Senator Cecilia Lopez said the FARC continued to send
contradictory messages, asking for peace talks while
continuing
terrorist attacks. Local journalist Alfonso Cuellar told us
Cordoba is largely following "a script that has been written
by the FARC."

CATHOLIC CHURCH REITERATES SUPPORT FOR NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT
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5. (U) Archbishop Ruben Salazar, head of the Colombian
Catholic Bishops Conference, said in a March 29 interview
with leading daily "El Tiempo" that "there is no military
solution to the armed conflict." He said the
Church-supported National Reconciliation Commission would
propose a broad dialogue with civil society, unions, the
media, and political leaders across the country to formulate
a "minimum accord" that could serve as a basis for peace
talks. Still, Salazar conceded that both the GOC and FARC
remain "polarized" with "no chance" of compromise in the
near-term. He also said that any talks on a humanitarian

exchange should be linked to a broader peace process.

URIBE INSISTS ON END TO FARC CRIMINAL ACTS
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6. (U) President Uribe, speaking at an international
counter-insurgency conference organized by the Defense
Ministry and the USG on March 31, conditioned peace talks on
"the cessation of all criminal acts by the groups which want
to enter into such a process, with verification." Uribe said
he would not allow Colombia to be "fooled again" by FARC
peace overtures. Uribe said the GOC would redouble its
diplomatic efforts to counter the FARC abroad, and said the
most important contribution the international community could
make to peace in Colombia would be to deny the FARC safe
havens and help fight terrorism. He cited Plan Colombia as
an example of "effective support."

PEACE COMMISSIONER LARGELY OUT OF BUSINESS
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7. (C) New U Party President and former-Peace Commissioner
Luis Carlos Restrepo told us he doubts the FARC wants real
peace talks, and said he will continue to serve as an ad hoc
facilitator to the GOC on peace issues. He told us that
despite Pearl's assumption of the Peace Commissioner Office's
functions, Uribe had instructed Pearl to coordinate
everything with him. Restrepo added that Uribe initially
wanted to abolish the Peace Commissioner's office after his
resignation, but later decided that such a move would send
the wrong message internationally.

BROWNFIELD