US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA2067

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 002067 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MASS, PTER, PGOV, CO, SP, VE 
SUBJECT: AZNAR VISITS COLOMBIA 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood.  Reasons: 1.5 B & D. 
 
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Solidarity 
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1.  (U) Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar came to Colombia 
to express his solidarity with President Alvaro Uribe's fight 
against terrorism and to underscore Spanish assistance to 
Colombia.  He also addressed a forum on Democracy and 
Development in Latin America, organized by the International 
Foundation for Freedom and chaired by Peruvian writer Mario 
Vargas Llosa.  During the two-day visit to Cartagena, Aznar 
expressed support for President Uribe's Democratic Security 
Strategy and noted that both countries were effectively 
fighting terrorism.  Aznar said he would urge the European 
Union to place Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) 
guerrillas on the EU's terrorist list. 
 
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Development Assistance 
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2.  (U) Speaking from a 17th Century convent restored with 
Spanish assistance, Aznar noted that Spain is Europe's top 
donor to Colombia.  At a joint press conference, Uribe 
announced that Spain's Development Assistance Fund would 
finance a USD 62 million electrification project along 
Colombia's impoverished Pacific coast, along with other 
development assistance.  Aznar added that Colombia receives 
more in micro-credit programs than any other country in Latin 
America.  Responding to a question about Spanish tourism in 
Colombia, he reiterated the security theme, stating that 
tourism would increase as terrorism is reduced. 
 
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Military Assistance and Sales 
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3.  (U) Aznar and Uribe announced the donation of two Caza 
aircraft to be used for military transport.  The two turned 
aside questions about the GOC Air Force's refusal to accept 
an earlier offer of Mirage jets and the possible donation of 
tanks.  Subsequently, GOC MINDEF Jorge Uribe announced the 
imminent purchase of approximately 40 used AMX-30 tanks from 
Spain.  The MINDEF said that the army would deploy the tanks 
exclusively to fight internal narco-terrorism in the 
non-border states of Bolivar, Cordoba, Sucre, Atlantico, and 
Magdalena.  Senator Rafael Pardo, a former MINDEF, was quick 
to criticize the decision, arguing that the tanks were 
inappropriate for fighting any internal or external enemy 
other than Venezuela.  He concluded that the purchase would 
create new economic, political, and military problems without 
solving existing ones. 
 
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Other Tough Questions 
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4. (U) Aznar responded vaguely to questions about 
regularizing the status of undocumented Colombians in Spain. 
When asked if a Spanish extradition order for Colombian 
paramilitary commander Carlos Castano would derail the peace 
process, Aznar noted that Spain had an independent judiciary. 
 He declined to discuss his post-presidency plans.  Stating 
that the reelection of Argentina's Menem, Peru's Fujimori, 
Brazil's Cardozo, and potentially Venezuela's Hugo Chavez had 
not turned out well, a reporter asked Uribe if a 
constitutional change that would permit his reelection was 
ethical.  Uribe responded that reelection was a matter for 
the congress and that constitutional matters were also a 
matter of public opinion (Note: At 80 per cent, Uribe's 
public approval is the highest in Latin America. End note). 
 
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COMMENT 
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5. (C) The tank purchase is "soft" in that the numbers still 
range between 32 and 46 units.  A Colombian military team is 
currently inspecting the available used tanks in Spain.  The 
six million USD cost is merely the maximum funding available 
and must also cover the training package and maintenance, and 
possibly transport.  Essentially, the cost per vehicle will 
be so low as to be a virtual gift from Spain.  The effective 
use of a 36 ton tank, costly to maintain and unable to cross 
many of Colombia's rural bridges, is not in road security, 
but in engaging other tanks.  Armored wheeled vehicles would 
be a better option.  The advantage of this deal may be more 
to demonstrate military assistance from a European country 
than for military advantage. 
WOOD