COMBATTING VENEZUELAN DIVERSION OF ARMS TO THE FARC

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000833 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NATE YOUNG, EUR/PRA; EUR/WE; WHA/AND. E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2019 TAGS: PARM PREL KBIO XT XM RS CO VE SW SP SUBJECT: COMBATTING VENEZUELAN DIVERSION OF ARMS TO THE FARC REF: A. STATE 83014 ¶B. AUGUST 9 MORATINOS-S LETTER ¶C. STATE 82937 Classified By: Charge D'Affaires William H. Duncan 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Reftel points were conveyed August 14 to Spanish MFA Deputy Director General for Andean Affairs Javier Triana Jimenez (Triana served as Spanish Deputy Chief of Mission in Caracas from 2002 to 2006.). Triana said the Colombian government had asked FM Moratinos to raise with the GOV the diversion of anti-air missiles and Swedish-manufactured rocket launchers to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). He accepted as fact that arms seized by Colombian forces in July had come from Venezuela but was reluctant to concede the seizures demonstrated clear GOV support for the FARC. Triana said that "at his level" he was unaware of proven links and official participation. Triana said he could think of other possible (albeit "very improbable") explanations. He acknowledged evidence from the Reyes laptops pointed in that direction of GOV involvement. Nonetheless, he stressed the need for proof of high-level GOV complicity in arms transfers to the FARC. With regard to additional post-sale controls, Triana cautioned that short of "forcing an embargo," Europeans must analyze each potential sale carefully and acknowledge that neither the GOS nor the USG can control all arms exports to Venezuela. Triana asked rhetorically whether in restricting legitimate sales to Venezuela from countries that had post-shipment controls in place we did not risk even more limited accountability for transactions from less reliable partners. ¶2. (C) In response to the suggestion that Spain's upcoming January-June 2010 EU Presidency was an opportunity to raise awareness and strengthen controls, Triana expressed doubt about how much Spain could accomplish during its EU presidency and could not envision any specific additional measures Spain would institute beyond the existing protocols. Although Triana's counterparts in the MFA arms control and Russia offices were unavailable during the August vacation period, Triana said he would share the points with other interested bureaus to ensure broad consideration of our views. While Triana discounted analysis directly linking the GOV with arms transfers to the FARC, he referenced FM Moratinos's travel to the region and subsequent August 9 letter (reftel B) as a demonstration of Spanish willingness to support the United States and Colombia. Post will continue to press our case that Spain should review current export controls to ensure sufficient transparency and accountability measures. DUNCAN