Colombian Ministers Skip UNASUR Meeting on DCA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003457

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/11/27
TAGS: PREL PGOV CO
SUBJECT: Colombian Ministers Skip UNASUR Meeting on DCA

CLASSIFIED BY: Brian A. Nichols, Deputy Chief of Mission; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)


1. (C) Vice Foreign Minister Clemencia Forero confirmed press
reports on November 27 that Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez and
Minister of Defense Gabriel Silva would not attend the UNASUR
ministerial in Quito. The UNASUR ministerial had the U.S.-Colombia
Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) as its main agenda item. FM
Bermudez told reporters on November 26 that the tone surrounding
the UNASUR meeting lacked respect, objectivity, and thematic
balance given the "behavior and recent escalation of insults that
the Government and people of Colombian have received," without
naming Venezuela as the source of those offenses. He announced
that Colombia would send a technical delegation instead of
ministers.


2. (C) Vice Foreign Minister Forero told the DCM on November 27
that the GOC had had enough with UNASUR countries' public
denouncements of Colombia over the DCA. She said a diplomatic note
sent to UNASUR foreign ministers on November 26 (para 3)
represented the definitive position of the GOC, which is that the
DCA includes assurances that its implementation will not impinge on
the sovereignty of other countries and that UNASUR must focus in a
balanced manner on the fight against terrorism and organized crime.
Forero said that Colombia would be represented in Quito by Admiral
David Moreno (Vice Chief of Defense),Sergio Restrepo
(International Directorate, Ministry of Defense),and Ambassador
Miguel Camilo Ruiz (Americas Directorate, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs). She said the delegation was instructed not to make any
public statements but would intervene to block any consensus
against Colombia's interest. Asked whether Colombia planned to
raise its objections in other fora such as the UN Security Council,
Forero said the GOC's inclination at the time was not subject
itself to additional public debate on the issue, whether in the
UNSC or other fora. However, the GOC would assess its stance
following the Quito meeting.


3. (C) Begin text of informal translation of Colombia diplomatic
note to foreign ministers of UNASUR members:

I have the honor to refer Your Excellency to the NOTE DMRE/DA/CIC
96426 dated October 30, 2009, addressed to the Ministries of
Foreign Affairs of the Member States of UNASUR, related to the
commitments acquired by Colombia in the framework of the
"Supplemental Agreement for Cooperation and Technical Assistance in
Defense and Security between Colombia and the United States of
America," in the sense that said cooperation has the purpose of
combating the illicit traffic of drugs and terrorism in Colombia.

The aforementioned Note, which included the text of Article III of
the Agreement that states that "the Parties shall comply with their
obligations under this Agreement in a manner consistent with the
principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity of States,
and non-interference in the internal affairs of other States,"
along with this Note, constitute additional guarantees that the
Government of Colombia provides once again as an expression of the
transparency that characterizes its actions in its international
relations and its participation in UNASUR.

Verbal or written declarations of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs
generate binding legal effects for those who make them and are
elevated, in the light of law, jurisprudence, and international
doctrine, to commitments that the States must honor. The
Government of Colombia, in an attitude of transparency and good
faith, made public the text of this Agreement on November 3, 2009,
in the web pages of the Presidency of the Republic
(www.presidencia.gov.co) and of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(www.cancilleria.gov.co).

The Government of Colombia considers that the guarantees conferred

in the aforementioned Agreement and the publication of its full
text constitutes an action that must be reciprocated by all Member
States of UNASUR in all cases of military cooperation agreements
that are entered into.

In accordance with the mandate of the Declaration of Bariloche,
enacted August 28 in the Extraordinary Summit of Chiefs of State of
UNASUR, Colombia hopes that the Member States in a balanced way
will work together to strengthen the fight and the cooperation
against terrorism, transnational organized crime, and their
connected criminal acts: illicit traffic of drugs, traffic of
small and light weapons, as well as the rejection of the presence
or action of illegal armed groups.

It is important to move forward to implement effective instruments
of cooperation on those fronts.

This Diplomatic Note is being submitted to the Ministers of Foreign
Affairs of the Member States of UNASUR.

I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the
assurances of my highest and distinguished consideration.

END TEXT OF INFORMAL TRANSLATION.
BROWNFIELD