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### Viewing cable 08BOGOTA2578, GOC REACHES OUT TO FARC, BUT WILL CONTINUE

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08BOGOTA2578 | 2008-07-16 20:08 | 2010-12-08 21:09 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Bogota

`

    VZCZCXRO8638
    PP RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHMT RUEHNG
    RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC
    DE RUEHBO #2578/01 1982038
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 162038Z JUL 08
    FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3641
    INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
    RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1473
    RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 0331
    RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1340
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
    RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
    RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 002578

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2018
    TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PTER PHUM CO
    SUBJECT: GOC REACHES OUT TO FARC, BUT WILL CONTINUE
    MILITARY PRESSURE ON GROUP

    REF: BOGOTA 2506

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

    SUMMARY
    -------
    ¶1. (C) Peace Commissioner Restrepo told us the GOC has
    reached out to establish direct contact with the FARC, but
    does not feel any pressure to move quickly on a peace
    process. The GOC believes Cano is isolated from other
    Secretariat members, and will continue military efforts to
    kill or capture him. Restrepo said the GOC must force Cano
    to understand that negotiations offer the only way out for
    the FARC (and for him); the GOC is prepared to provide Cano
    and other FARC leaders a "dignified" exit. Despite ruling
    out further international facilitation, Restrepo said the GOC
    could consider an international accompaniment or verification
    role once a serious process begins. The GOC remains willing
    to talk with the ELN, but sees little prospect as long as ELN
    leaders reside in Venezuela. End summary.

    FARC REJECTS GOC TALKS--SUGGESTS NICARAGUA
    ------------------------------------------
    ¶2. (U) The FARC Secretariat issued a letter June 26 that
    stated the group would not directly negotiate with the GOC,
    and instead wanted a meeting with Nicaraguan President Daniel
    Ortega to discuss "issues of war and peace." The letter,
    addressed to Ortega, thanked "Commandante Daniel" for his
    "support through these difficult moments" and for providing
    asylum to two FARC fighters brought to Nicaragua after the
    March 1 attack against FARC number two Raul Reyes in Ecuador.
    In a July 5 communique, the Secretariat admitted that the
    GOC's July 2 rescue of 15 hostages was a "reversal," but
    insisted the group would continue its fight. The Secretariat
    reiterated its interest in a humanitarian exchange of
    "political" hostages for FARC members captured by the GOC,
    but did not mention its long-standing demand that talks on
    such an exchange be conditioned on the GOC's demilitarization
    of Pradera and Florida municipalities.

    GOC REMAINS READY TO TALK
    -------------------------
    ¶3. (C) Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told us July
    11 that the GOC remains committed to pursuing direct talks
    with the FARC and has reached out to FARC leader Alfonso Cano
    (reftel). If the FARC responds positively to the GOC
    overture, the GOC will send an emissary to lay the groundwork
    for an eventual FARC-Restrepo meeting. The GOC would not
    insist on a FARC release of hostages as condition for talks,
    because the GOC knows the FARC would not accept this. Still,
    Restrepo said the GOC does not feel any need to move quickly
    on talks with the group. Instead, it will try to establish
    contact and allow Cano to analyze his deteriorating
    situation. Restrepo stressed that the GOC will continue
    military operations to kill or capture Cano. The GOC needs
    to force Cano to understand that talks are the FARC's (and
    his) only way out.

    INTERNAL FARC PROBLEMS AS OBSTACLE
    ----------------------------------
    ¶4. (C) Restrepo said Cano remains isolated, and has little
    support from, or contact with, other members of the
    Secretariat. The isolation creates opportunities that the
    GOC may be able to exploit, especially if military pressure
    can further break FARC command and control systems. The GOC
    is prepared to offer Cano and other FARC leaders a
    "dignified" way out of the armed struggle, but does not want
    to fall into the trap of allowing the FARC to use peace talks
    to rebuild its military capacity. Restrepo said a major
    obstacle to a successful peace process is Cano's continued
    commitment to a "Leninist" approach to politics.

    GOC: POSSIBLE FUTURE ROLES FOR INTERMEDIARIES
    --------------------------------------------- -
    ¶5. (C) The GOC does not need or want international or
    domestic facilitators with the FARC, but has not ruled out a
    future international "accompaniment" or verification role if
    the FARC begins to negotiate in good faith. Restrepo said
    that Operation "Checkmate" freed the GOC from French and U.S.
    pressure to advance on an humanitarian accord. He added that
    Alvaro Leyva, Carlos Lozano, Frenchman Noel Saenz, and Swiss

    BOGOTA 00002578 002 OF 002

    Jean Pierre Gontard had not been reliable facilitators.

    ¶6. (C) Restrepo said the French accepted the GOC 's
    revocation of their facilitation role with more grace than
    the Swiss, who insisted on continued engagement. On June 15,
    Prosecutor General Mario Iguaran announced an investigation
    against Gontard for allegedly carrying $500,000 in cash for
    the FARC. The Swiss Foreign Ministry issued a press release
    on July 14 denying the charges and calling on the GOC to
    "cease its attacks" against Gontard.

    GOC: ELN INCAPABLE OF TAKING DECISION ON PEACE
    --------------------------------------------- --
    ¶7. (C) Vice Minister of Defense Sergio Jaramillo told us a
    successful peace process with the ELN remains impossible,
    because ELN leaders lack the capacity to take decisions and
    do not control the group's armed fronts. The ELN remains
    weak militarily, but some fronts in Arauca, Cauca, and Narino
    have strengthened due to their heavy involvement in
    narcotrafficking. Jaramillo said the ELN is better than the
    FARC at political organizing, but added that its leaders do
    not have a vision of what role they might play in a
    democratic Colombia.

    ¶8. (C) Restrepo said key ELN leaders view Colombian
    realities through a Venezuelan lens and therefore feel little
    pressure to move on peace. Moreover, they will not enter
    into a peace process that is not linked to the FARC.
    Restrepo said ELN fronts cooperate with the FARC on
    narcotrafficking in some areas, and maintain a political
    profile in Arauca, Catatumbo, Narino, and southern Choco due
    to narcotrafficking. ELN leaders continue to pursue their
    old strategy of seeking contact with civil society and the
    international community instead of with the GOC. Still,
    Restrepo said the GOC would meet with the ELN if an
    opportunity presented itself--a scenario which would likely
    only occur if ELN leaders were forced to leave Venezuela.

    BROWNFIELD

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