US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA12598

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 012598 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, ASEC, CO, Hostages, FARC 
SUBJECT: FARC PROPOSES NEW DEMILITARIZED ZONES FOR 
HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE 
 
REF: A. BOGOTA 12410 
     B. BOGOTA 11207 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) On December 3, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of 
Colombia (FARC) released a communique dated November 28, 
changing one of its long-standing requirements for a 
humanitarian exchange.  The communique appears to pre-date 
the GOC's December 2 release of 23 (with 12 more expected) 
FARC members guilty of membership in an illegal armed group 
-- in most cases the crime of rebellion.  Claiming to cite 
GOC arguments that clearing the municipalities of San Vicente 
del Caguan and Cartagena del Chaira in Caqueta Department for 
a prisoner exchange would weaken the "Patriot Plan," the 
communique proposes that Florida and Pradera municipalities 
in Valle de Cauca Department be used instead.  President 
Uribe responded on December 7 that the GOC would not accept 
any kind of clearing as a condition for exchange and 
suggested the FARC propose different measures. 
 
2. (U) The FARC's message added another new condition to any 
exchange agreement; that more than 500 FARC members currently 
imprisoned by the GOC be released.  It also declares that the 
Catholic Church should direct contact with the UN, "friendly" 
governments and the Red Cross to support an exchange.  The 
FARC dub the extradition of FARC leader Simon Trinidad as a 
"crude stunt," and warn that such extraditions to the United 
States could interfere with a future exchange. 
 
3. (C) This latest communique may have been a preemptive 
strike by the FARC to show its "flexibility" before the GOC 
began releasing the ex-FARC members.  The FARC has not 
responded in any other way to the December 2 release and 
remains unlikely to reciprocate. 
 
FARC Makes Lateral Step 
----------------------- 
 
4. (U) Begin text of informal translation of FARC communique: 
 
The government argues that clearing the municipalities of San 
Vicente and Cartagena del Chaira to conduct a prisoner swap 
is impossible because it would be tantamount to ending or 
suspending the "Patriot Plan."  Therefore, so that the plan 
can continue its normal course, we propose: 
 
-- To demilitarize two municipalities of the hundreds outside 
the Eastern and Southern bloc areas, where the government has 
deluded itself into believing that it can defeat the 
guerrillas with the plan designed and directed by the 
Southern Command of the U.S. Army. 
 
-- The two municipalities that we propose are Florida and 
Pradera in Valle.  They must provide the necessary security 
guarantees for the movement of our spokespeople, the transfer 
of the two sides' prisoners to the place agreed upon for the 
exchange, and the subsequent pullback of the more than 500 
guerrillas who must be released under the accords. 
 
-- The Catholic Church, which will be in charge of the 
initial contacts, will look into the possibilities of ties 
with the United Nations, friendly governments, and the 
International Red Cross in related and logistical support 
tasks. 
 
-- We invite the relatives of Colombian and U.S. prisoners to 
embrace this proposal and make it successful, as everyone 
hopes it will be. 
 
-- Our political resolve to end the lengthy imprisonment of 
the individuals held by both sides is clearly corroborated by 
this proposal. We hope that Mr. Uribe's government is up to 
the challenges of this humanitarian accord, which has been 
awaiting implementation for some time. 
 
-- The Supreme Court has manifestly demonstrated its 
servility and lack of propriety by authorizing the 
extradition of Simon Trinidad, the FARC peace spokesman, to 
the United States.  This crude stunt also attacks the 
unquestionably political nature of our struggle.  Our 
response is that this could seriously interfere with the 
possibility of a prisoner exchange.  On principle we oppose 
the extradition of Colombians, an unworthy practice that 
renounces sovereignty and that cannot continue amid 
indifference. No civilized country in the world is handing 
over its citizens to be prosecuted by the Gringos. 
 
Secretariat of the Central Command of the FARC 
 
SIPDIS 
Mountains of Colombia, November 28, 2004 
 
End text. 
WOOD