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### Viewing cable 06BOGOTA1965, GOC-ELN EXPLORATORY TALKS MAKE STEADY PROGRESS,

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06BOGOTA1965 | 2006-03-03 22:20 | 2011-02-23 06:30 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Bogota

`

    VZCZCXYZ0013
    OO RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHBO #1965/01 0622220
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O 032220Z MAR 06
    FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2775
    INFO RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1011
    RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 6591
    RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 7258
    RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR 7750
    RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 3315
    RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 8836
    RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0296
    RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 8821
    RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 3942
    RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0066

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 001965

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2016
    TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL PINR CO
    SUBJECT: GOC-ELN EXPLORATORY TALKS MAKE STEADY PROGRESS,
    RESUME IN APRIL; ELN CALLS ON COLOMBIANS TO VOTE IN MARCH
    12 ELECTIONS

    REF: BOGOTA 1145 AND PREVIOUS

    Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood
    Reason: 1.4 (b,d)

    -------
    SUMMARY
    -------

    ¶1.  (C) The latest round of exploratory talks between the GOC
    and ELN ended February 28 in Havana.  The GOC-ELN joint
    statement issued February 27 characterized the talks as
    "satisfactory" and said they would resume in early April,
    again in Havana.  Other participants and observers told us
    the talks made steady progress.  Civil society guarantor
    Moritz Akerman was optimistic, saying the talks moved forward
    on defining modalities for the next session, including a
    "working group" to handle the tough issues.  He said the
    guarantor group would expand shortly.  A close observer from
    the Catholic Church, who also attended the talks, was more
    skeptical, saying neither party seemed to have a clear
    strategy beyond seeking short term political advantage.  The
    GOC conceded "political" status to ELN negotiators, which
    allows them to travel within Colombia and abroad and
    insulates them from arrest while the talks continue.  The ELN
    negotiators plan to use this status to travel to Europe in
    the near future.  The GOC's reluctance to concede the
    political status almost led to the talks breaking down.
    Akerman told us that ELN military commander Antonio Garcia
    asked him to "tell the Americans to pay close attention" to
    the talks.  The guarantor also said Garcia regarded a
    guarantor proposal to the ELN on kidnappings (reftel) as
    positive but premature.  On March 2, the ELN called on
    Colombians to vote in the March 12 congressional elections
    and said it would suspend military action for a few hours
    before and after voting time.  End summary.

    --------------------------------------------- -------
    STATEMENT SAYS TALKS CONCLUDE IN SATISFACTORY MANNER
    --------------------------------------------- -------

    ¶2.  (C) A GOC-ELN statement dated February 27 said the most
    recent round of exploratory talks in Havana concluded in a
    "satisfactory" manner.  The statement said the parties met
    their objectives, which were to define further their
    proposals on the peace process in general and the agenda for
    subsequent sessions.  The statement thanked the Governments
    of Cuba and Venezuela for their assistance, and the
    Governments of accompanying countries" Spain, Norway, and
    Switzerland for their participation.  The exploratory
    phase of talks will resume in early April, again in Havana.
    The statement did not mention the fact that the GOC agreed to
    concede "political status" to two ELN negotiators (apparently
    militarycommander Antonio Garcia and alias "Ramiro Vargas.")
    This status would allow the ELN negotiators to travel
    without fear of arrest, according to press reports.  Leading
    daily El Tiempo reported March 1 that the ELN wanted to use
    the status to visit Europe.

    ------------------------------------
    STEADT PROGRESS, BUT NO BREAKTHROUGH
    ------------------------------------

    ¶3.  (C) The talks made steady progress but did not result in
    a breakthrough, according to participants and observers.
    Civil society guarantor Moritz Akerman told D/Polcouns that
    the agreement was "very good," because it talks about a
    "peace process" for the first time.  Akerman said the parties
    agreed to establish a working group-type mechanism ("mesa
    alternativa") for the next round of talks, which would enable
    especially difficult issues to be thrashed out prior to
    reaching the main negotiators.  According to Akerman, the
    guarantors would play a role in the "mesa alternativa."  He
    also said the GOC and ELN agreed to a formal role in the
    talks for the "accompanying countries" (who are to be called
    "international observers").

    ¶4.  (C) Akerman said the guarantors group still intends to
    expand (reftel).  Three new guarantors will soon be
    announced: former foreign minister Maria Emma Mejia, Father
    Horacio Orango, and El Colombiano editor Ana Mercedes Gomez

    (who still needs permission from her publisher employer).  He
    noted that the guarantors are exploring moving the talks to
    Panama and are in touch with Panamanian interlocutors.

    ¶5.  (C) Akerman said he was concerned the talks were headed
    for trouble late on February 22, when Garcia called him on
    the cell phone to say the GOC was refusing to concede the ELN
    negotiators "political" status that would enable them to
    travel.  According to Akerman, Garcia said, "tell the
    Americans that they should pay close attention to this
    matter."  Akerman understood from this comment that Garcia
    was suggesting the U.S. help persuade the GOC to grant
    political status to the negotiators.  (Akerman relayed this
    information to us on February 24, by which time the GOC and
    ELN had reached agreement.)  Akerman also said Garcia told
    him the guarantor proposal to the ELN on kidnappings was
    positive but premature (reftel).

    ¶6.  (C) Lead Catholic Church negotiator Father Dario
    Echeverri, who was also in Havana for the talks, told
    Polcouns he believes neither the ELN nor the GOC have a clear
    strategy for the talks beyond seeking short-term political
    advantages.  He said the ELN wanted to move the talks to
    Europe beginning March 28, and argued the GOC is correct to
    insist on a "very big concession" from the ELN before it
    agrees to such a move.  According to Echeverri, the ELN wants
    the GOC to release captured Valle del Cauca commander, alias
    "El Viejo," to join ELN spokesman Francisco Galan at the
    House of Peace in Antioquia for further civil society
    consultations.  In Echeverri's view, the House of Peace
    initiative educates the ELN on the negative impression most
    Colombians have of the guerrilla organization. Echeverri said
    he was very impressed by a new ELN negotiator in Havana,
    alias "Moises," from Norte de Santander.

    --------------------------------------------- --------
    ELN CALLS ON COLOMBIANS TO VOTE IN MARCH 12 ELECTIONS
    --------------------------------------------- --------

    ¶7. (C) On March 2, the ELN,s Garcia called on the Colombian
    population to vote in the March 12 Congressional elections
    and promised to suspend any military action that could
    interfere with voting for a few hours before and after the
    election.  He made these statements in Cuba during a
    teleconference with journalists in Medellin.  Some Colombian
    analysts see the ELN,s new attitude toward elections as an
    indicator of the group,s willingness to move forward with
    the peace process and as a sign of the ELN distancing itself
    from the FARC.  Others remain skeptical.  Garcia denied the
    ELN had any favored candidates or parties, but encouraged the
    population to vote for candidates &committed to peace and
    who are willing to support necessary changes8 in the
    country.

    -------
    COMMENT
    -------

    ¶8.  (C) The fact that exploratory "talks about talks" will
    continue is a good sign, but Embassy is inclined to accept
    Echeverri's account as more realistic.  Foreign Minister
    Barco told Polcouns that the GOC remains skeptical of ELN
    intentions and does not want to get embroiled in a long,
    complicated process with too many moving parts -- something
    the ELN has been partial to during past attempts at peace.
    Both Echeverri and members of Peace Commissioner Restrepo's
    team report that ELN commander Garcia was very tough and
    intransigent at the negotiating table.  Garcia's interest in
    ensuring the U.S. was informed of what he viewed as GOC
    stubbornness is an interesting sidebar but Embassy believes
    we should take our cue from the GOC with respect to any
    future involvement in the process.
    WOOD

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