US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA1067

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BOGOTA 001067 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA PDA Art Green 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, KPAO, OPRC, PREL, SNAR, PGOV, CO 
SUBJECT: MAJOR COLOMBIAN PRINT MEDIA TRENDS FALL 2003 
 
REFTEL:  1) BOGOTA 03026, 2) BOGOTA 05259, 3) BOGOTA 08486 
 
1. This report on Colombian media covers the period 
September - November 2003. In this time frame, major 
Colombian print media (dailies El Tiempo, El Nuevo Siglo, La 
Republica, and Portafolio, and weeklies El Espectador, 
Semana, and Cambio) published 88 editorials, op-eds, and 
other signed commentaries concerning USG policy or leading 
bilateral issues.  Of these, 54 were positive or supportive 
of USG policies, and 34 were negative. 
 
U.S. Military Assistance to Colombia 
 
2. No articles dealt specifically with the topic of U.S. 
Military assistance to Colombia. 
 
Eradication/illicit crop spraying 
 
3. In this time frame, 5 articles dealt with the topic of 
eradication, aerial eradication, or glyphosate use. Two were 
positive and three were negative. 
 
The favorably disposed articles asserted that: 
 
-The agrochemicals used in coca growing cause more harm than 
glyphosate. 
 
-It is important to continue aerial eradication efforts at 
the border with Venezuela, especially in the area of La 
Gabarra. 
 
Negatively disposed articles asserted that: 
 
-The NGOs will continue to criticize President Uribe for not 
protecting the environment as long as he insists on using 
glyphosate. 
 
-By naming the previous Plan Colombia Coordinator Sandra 
Suarez as Minister of Environment, President Uribe sent the 
wrong message to environmentalists, who oppose to glyphosate 
use. 
 
-Glyphosate harms the jungle even more than other areas. 
More education on protecting nature is needed, rather than 
continued use of glyphosate. 
 
Plan Colombia 
 
4. In this time frame, no articles dealt with the topic of 
Plan Colombia and its results in either way. 
 
Trade issues 
 
5. There were 28 articles on trade issues, including 
regional issues, FTAA, and FTA. Twenty were positive and 
eight were negative. 
 
Positively disposed articles asserted that: 
 
-Colombia proposes negotiating an FTA without unfounded 
pretensions or expectations. 
 
-It is important to Colombia to maintain its share in global 
markets.  Opening up access to the U.S. market will help 
Colombia improve its competitiveness to do so. 
 
-Colombian businessmen, industrialists, and traders must 
change.  They must undertake the challenge of entering the 
U.S. market and view the U.S. as their ally. 
 
-The talks on services under the FTA, which some in Colombia 
perceive as something imposed by the U.S., will actually 
benefit Colombia. 
 
-With the WTO in hibernation, FTAA in intensive care, 
MERCOSUR in trouble, and an Andean Community Group without 
Venezuelan participation, bilateral trade relations with the 
U.S. are back, hopefully for the better. 
 
-Dealing with both FTAA and FTA at the same time requires 
Colombia to have a well-structured strategy that includes a 
good knowledge of our strengths and weaknesses, as well as 
our priorities. 
 
-Reaching an agreement between the Colombian Government, 
Congress, and the business community is crucial for defining 
Colombia's position at the trade talks on an FTA with the 
U.S. 
 
-Transcendental, historic, unprecedented, good news... is 
the announcement by the U.S. Government of its intention to 
initiate trade talks for a Free Trade Agreement with Andean 
nations.  This is the biggest trade success of the current 
Colombian Government.  It is important to have the full 
participation of the Colombian private sector in the talks. 
 
-By including agricultural issues in FTA negotiations, both 
nations have a lot to gain. Negotiations ought to allow a 
transition period for sensitive products.  Subsidies ought 
to be lifted gradually. 
-Reaching a free trade agreement with the U.S. is a priority 
for Colombia's trade policy, as is working to improve 
respect for contracts and intellectual property rights, and 
speeding up the paperwork and reducing expenses for 
investors. 
 
-It is important that Colombia stay calm and continue 
working with developed nations to reach a favorable 
agreement regarding agricultural protectionism. 
 
-Colombia and Peru are at the top of the list of nations 
with which the U.S. will initiate trade talks on a free 
trade agreement. 
 
-A free trade agreement with South American nations is not 
as good as access to U.S. and Canadian markets. 
 
-Having a good negotiating team is important. 
 
 
Negatively disposed articles asserted that: 
 
-A free trade agreement with the U.S. is a dilemma for 
Colombia.  If we don't sign one, we will lose participation 
in the U.S. market available to other countries; if we do 
sign one, the benefits will not be as good as those with 
Europe, including free migration and agricultural subsidies. 
 
-Colombia loses sovereignty under a free trade agreement 
with the U.S.  Compromises will have to be made on a variety 
of issues, including trade conflict resolution. 
 
-A free trade agreement with the U.S. will have a negative 
impact on Colombia's incipient industry.  There will be an 
avalanche of U.S. goods.  Turning our back on South American 
nations may lead the Colombian economy to disaster. 
 
-The U.S. and Europe let down the poor nations at the Cancun 
Conference. 
 
 
FARC violence, AUC talks, Demobilization of paramilitaries 
 
6. In this time frame, 19 articles dealt with the 
demobilization of paramilitaries, FARC violence, and human 
rights issues as discrete topics.  Seventeen were positive, 
although some with reservations, and two were negative. 
 
Positively disposed articles asserted that: 
 
-To condemn the demobilization of paramilitaries before it 
is completed is unjust and wrong. 
 
-A culture inside the Colombian Armed Forces has come 
together to observe human rights and international 
humanitarian law. 
 
-The Colombian authorities have no doubts the FARC is 
responsible for the bombing in the Zona Rosa of Bogota. 
 
-The Colombian Armed Forces have succeeded in the fight 
against terrorism and kidnapping, as a result of a 
combination of changes in strategy and improved 
intelligence.  A stronger armed forces is the result of 
modernization and an increased military budget. 
 
-The Mexico OAS Conference on Security Declaration is 
particularly important to Colombia.  The governments of 34 
American States call upon the FARC, the ELN, and self- 
defense groups to stop violence and enter peace talks. 
 
-The decision to fight terrorism in the jungle is positive. 
 
-The important questions on conditional liberty legislation 
asked by the U.S. send a clear message: more debate on the 
topic is required in order to prevent the failure of the 
incipient peace talks with self-defense groups. 
 
-The image presented to the world by President Uribe in the 
UNGA and Washington on human rights was a successful effort. 
-We are not against peace talks with the paramilitaries.  A 
balance must be struck between what the Colombian Government 
is offering and what they are willing to give up. 
 
-We are concerned that peace talks with the paramilitaries 
will allow drug traffickers to be part of the list of those 
demobilized. 
 
-The conditional liberty legislation is faulty. It lacks 
consensus. Amnesty and pardons should be granted at the end 
rather than the beginning of the talks. 
 
-The peace talks with the paramilitaries face difficulties 
and an atmosphere of uncertainty.  The international public 
disagrees with the proposed conditional liberty legislation. 
Negatively disposed articles asserted that: 
 
-The designated zone for peace talks with the paramilitaries 
in Medellin will become a problem. 
 
-In contradiction of (the position of) the Government of the 
U.S., Congressman Cass Ballenger supports conditional 
liberty legislation. 
 
 
Counter-narcotics/counter-insurgency 
 
7. A total of 6 articles dealt with counter-narcotics and 
counter-insurgency policy.  Five were positive and one was 
negative. 
 
Positively disposed articles asserted that: 
 
-With the appointment of a business leader as the new 
Minister of Interior and Justice, the Colombian President 
clearly is giving notice that money laundering and 
extradition remain law enforcement policy priorities. 
 
-A Counterterrorism Act is very important to Colombia. 
 
-In his remarks at the Civil-Military Relations Conference, 
U.S. Ambassador to Colombia William Wood was straightforward 
and concrete on the U.S. position against terrorist groups. 
 
-International solidarity with Colombia against terrorism 
must reflect appropriate assistance.  U.S. assistance 
already is there, and increasing, now through a free trade 
agreement.  The Europeans mustn't be so naive with a few 
NGOs.  The Europeans must cut the sources of financing of 
terrorist organizations. 
 
-A drastic reduction in drug trafficking will weaken the 
guerillas by attacking their major source of income. 
 
Negatively disposed article asserted that: 
 
-An international agreement on drug legalization would 
lessen the damage caused by narcotics. 
 
Miscellaneous articles 
 
8. Thirty-two miscellaneous articles addressed topics such 
as U.S. reconstruction policy in Iraq, the U.S. role in the 
Mideast, the global campaign against terrorism, the 
Venezuelan situation, TPS for Colombians and the U.S. 
support for the referendum in Colombia. Twelve articles were 
positive and twenty-one were negative.  Sixteen of the 
twenty-one negatively disposed articles concerned Iraq. 
 
9. This report shows a decrease in the overall number of 
articles in the above categories from 107 in Summer 2003 to 
88 in Fall 2003. (There were 182 articles in Spring 2003 and 
91 articles in Winter 2002-2003.) Positive articles 
decreased from 59 to 54. (There were 42 positive articles in 
Spring 2003 and 21 positive articles in Winter 2002-2003.) 
Negative articles decreased from 48 to 34. (There were 126 
negative articles in Spring 2003 and 58 negative articles in 
Winter 2002-2003.) As in Summer 2003, there were no neutral 
articles in this time frame. (There were 15 neutral articles 
in Spring 2003 and 12 neutral articles in Winter 2002-2003.) 
 
There were no articles dealing with U.S. Military assistance 
to Colombia.  (There were 8 positive articles in Summer 
2003, one positive article in Spring 2003, and 2 positive 
articles in Winter 2002-2003. There were zero negative 
articles in Summer 2003, two negative articles in Spring 
2003, and 6 negative articles in Winter 2002-2003.) 
 
Five articles in this time frame dealt with eradication, the 
same number as in Summer 2003. (There were 6 articles in 
Spring 2003 and 5 articles in Winter 2002-2003) Positive 
articles decreased from 3 to two. (There was one in Spring 
2003 and none in Winter 2002-2003.)  The number of negative 
articles increased from 2 to 3. (There were 5 in Spring 2003 
and 5 in Winter 2002-2003.) 
 
There were no articles dealing with Plan Colombia.  (There 
were 8 positive articles in Spring 2003 and one negative 
article in Winter 2002-2003) 
The number of articles dealing with trade issues decreased 
from 42 to 28. (There were 19 articles in Spring 2003 and 15 
articles in Winter 2002-2003.) Positive articles decreased 
from 25 to 24. (There were 3 in Spring 2003 and 6 in Winter 
2002-2003.) Negative articles decreased from 17 to 8. (There 
were 10 in Spring 2003 and 6 in Winter 2002-2003.) 
 
Articles dealing with FARC violence and AUC talks increased 
from one to 19.  Positive articles increased from 0 to 17. 
(There were no articles in Spring 2003 or in Winter 2002- 
2003).  Negative articles increased from one to 2.  (There 
were no articles in Spring 2003 and 12 articles in Winter 
2002-2003.) 
 
Articles dealing with counter-narcotics/counter-insurgency 
decreased from 13 to 6. (There were 8 articles in Spring 
2003 and 5 articles in Winter 2002-2003.) Positive articles 
decreased from 7 to 5. (There were 3 articles in Spring 2003 
and one article in Winter 2002-2003.)  Negative articles 
decreased from 6 to one. (There were 5 articles in Spring 
2003 and 3 articles in Winter 2002-2003.) 
 
The number of articles dealing with miscellaneous topics was 
32, the same number as Summer 2003. (There were 146 articles 
in Spring 2003 and 46 in Winter 2002-2003.) 
 
Wood