US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA3695

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BOGOTA 003695 
 
SIPDIS 
 
H PLEASE PASS TO CODEL BURTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2015 
TAGS: PREL, CO, CODEL 
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL BURTON'S VISIT TO COLOMBIA 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 
1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
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Summary 
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1. (SBU) Post welcomes CODEL Burton's visit to Colombia. 
With USG assistance, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has 
made great strides in fighting drug trafficking and 
terrorism.  A nation-wide, multi-phased offensive by the 
security forces has re-taken key territory from the FARC. 
The peace process with the United Self-Defense Forces of 
Colombia (AUC) has already resulted in the demobilization of 
almost 5,000 paramilitaries with several thousand more 
expected.  Colombia's human rights record, although 
imperfect, is improving.  Executive-legislative relations 
have been tense, but Uribe managed to push through some 
important legislation, including a bill to allow presidential 
re-election.  The economy continues to improve and FTA talks 
are in their ninth round.  Three U.S. citizens have been held 
hostage by the FARC for two years now; their safe recovery 
continues to be one of our top priorities.  Uribe is a strong 
proponent of extradition.  End Summary. 
 
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U.S. Assistance Key to Security Improvements 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) USG Assistance to Colombia is premised on combating 
the interrelated issues of drug trafficking and terrorism and 
includes training, material aid, and guidance to the security 
forces and other institutions.  President Uribe and Colombian 
Minister of Defense (MOD) Jorge Alberto Uribe (not related) 
have characterized U.S. assistance as key to the GOC's 
"Democratic Security Policy" and acknowledged the United 
States as Colombia's most important ally.  Since taking 
office, President Uribe has focused on establishing a state 
presence throughout national territory. 
 
-- Plan Patriota: The military's multi-phased campaign plan 
to re-take areas dominated by the Revolutionary Armed Forces 
of Colombia (FARC) is entering its third year.  The first 
phase, which focused on securing Cundinamarca Department, 
which surrounds Bogota, pushed the FARC presence out of reach 
of the capital and resulted in the deaths of at least five 
mid-level FARC commanders.  The second, much more complex 
phase has reached the one year mark and is focused on the 
FARC's traditional stronghold in southeastern Colombia. 
Infectious diseases -) especially leishmaniasis, a parasitic 
skin and intestinal infection )- and landmines are the 
leading causes of military casualties. 
 
-- FARC violence in the first quarter of 2005, although 
tactically aggressive, remained localized and below 2004 
levels in all categories. 
 
-- Center for Coordinated Integral Action: With support from 
the U.S. MILGRP, the GOC formed an interagency center to 
facilitate social services in seven areas that have 
traditionally suffered from little state presence and 
pressure from illegal armed groups.  The Center focuses on 
providing immediate social services, including documentation 
and medical clinics, and establishing longer term projects, 
such as economic reactivation.  Approximately 40,000 
individuals have been enrolled in state health care, judges, 
investigators, and public defenders have been placed in all 
16 municipalities of the Plan Patriota area, and a public 
library was recently opened in the town of San Vicente del 
Caguan, which had long been dominated by the FARC. 
 
-- Drug Eradication: Eradication and interdiction are at 
record levels.  As of April 2005, 60,747 hectares of coca and 
936 hectares of opium poppy had been sprayed since the 
beginning of 2005.  During this same time, 1,317 hectares of 
coca and poppy were manually eradicated.  In 2004, over 
136,000 hectares of coca and 3,000 hectares of poppy were 
sprayed.  The GOC is moving closer to authorizing aerial 
eradication in national parks.  Ground fire against spray 
planes is well below 2003 levels but remains problematic. 
 
-- Deserters: Since Uribe took office, over 7,000 illegal 
armed group members have deserted and entered the 
government's reinsertion program.  The program has limited 
funding and logistical problems, but is slowly improving. 
 
-- Military Justice Reforms: The Colombian military justice 
system has been criticized for inefficiency and weakness.  We 
have emphasized the importance of creating a system that 
delivers credible findings to ensure expeditious justice for 
both the innocent and the guilty.  Last month, the Military 
Penal Justice Director submitted a "shock" reform package to 
Congress as the first step towards institutional 
streamlining.   Director Puentes claimed that this first 
reform package, which would establish an administrative 
process for service-related crimes, could be a critical 
stopgap to stabilize the overburdened system.  The second 
reform package, slated for a July Congressional review, would 
improve the long-term functioning of the institution. 
 
-- Extradition: President Uribe is a strong supporter of the 
U.S.-GOC extradition relationship, and since taking office 
has approved more than 214 extraditions to the U.S. 
 
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Peace Process 
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3. (SBU) The GOC has been holding negotiations with the 
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) since 2002. 
Almost 5,000 paramilitaries have demobilized thus far.  The 
GOC has said up to 15,000 more paramilitaries could 
demobilize by the end of Uribe's term in August 2006. 
Congress is debating a law that would give alternative 
sentences to members of illegal armed groups who demobilize 
but are implicated in major crimes.  Further AUC 
demobilizations appear to be on hold until the law is 
finalized.  The GOC has repeatedly stated that the peace 
process will not damage the excellent U.S.-Colombia 
extradition relationship. 
 
4. (SBU) The Mexican government has been trying to facilitate 
peace talks between the GOC and the National Liberation Army 
(ELN), but the ELN has refused to suspend kidnapping.  The 
FARC has shown no willingness to have peace talks or hold a 
"humanitarian exchange." 
 
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Human Rights Record Improving 
----------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) The Uribe Administration continues to make progress 
on human rights.  Homicides fell by 16 percent, kidnappings 
by 42 percent, and forced displacements by 37 percent in 
2004, building on 2003's trends.  The GOC increased its 
dialogue with NGOs, the UN, and foreign governments, hosting 
meetings with local and international human rights 
organizations that included over 40 hours of discussions on 
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights' 27 
human rights recommendations for Colombia.  Human rights 
training is mandatory for all members of the military and 
police.  Less than 2 percent of human rights violations are 
attributable to government security forces, according to GOC 
statistics.  But recent violations by members of the armed 
forces, such as the murders in August 2004 of three trade 
unionists in the highly conflictive Arauca Department, 
demonstrate the need for further improvement. 
 
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Internal Politics 
----------------- 
 
6. (SBU) Executive-legislative relations have been tense over 
the last two years.  A major issue has been Uribe's break 
with traditional pork barrel projects and patronage for 
members of Congress, and many have exacted payback on the GOC 
as a result.  Uribe's presidential reelection reform 
initiative, however, was passed by Congress in December.  The 
Constitutional Court is currently reviewing the reform, and 
it remains to be seen if it will strike the measure down. 
Other major issues before Congress include pension and tax 
reform, both controversial proposals that face tough sledding. 
 
7. (SBU) Elections for Congress and President will be held in 
March and May 2006, respectively.  The current Congressional 
session began March 16 and runs until June 20.  The Congress 
will resume for the subsequent regular session on July 20. 
Given the start of the electoral season, most pundits 
indicate that the current Congressional session is the final 
one prior to the elections in which major legislation can be 
passed. 
 
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Positive Economic Outlook 
------------------------- 
 
8. (SBU) While the tremendous gains in security have helped 
the economy, many analysts are concerned that fiscal and 
pension reforms have not yet passed through Congress. 
Without these important structural changes, the long-term 
outlook is less clear.  In 2004, Colombia's gross domestic 
product (GDP) increased by 4 percent to nearly USD 90.8 
billion.  Colombian exports grew 26 percent in 200 to USD 16 
billion.  Exports to the U.S. grew by USD 1 billion. 
Unemployment remains high at 12.1 percent, but the rate has 
been declining since the beginning of the Uribe 
administration. 
 
9. (SBU) The seventh round of talks toward a Free Trade 
Agreement with Colombia (and other Andean nations) recently 
concluded in Washington in March.  The next round began on 
April 18 in Lima, Peru.  Movement has been slowed somewhat 
due to concerns in the U.S. Congress over the ratification of 
the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). 
Agriculture and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) continue 
to be major issues, specifically patents, medications, 
agricultural subsidies and access to genetic resources. 
 
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U.S. Hostages 
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10. (C) In February 2003, a DOD plane carrying four USG 
contractors and a Colombian military representative crashed 
in FARC-controlled territory in southern Colombia.  The FARC 
murdered one of the U.S. contractors and the Colombian and 
took the other three U.S. citizens hostage.  We believe they 
are being held in remote, heavily forested regions the FARC 
has long controlled and to which the Colombian military has 
little access.  Since the contractors were kidnapped, we have 
worked closely with the GOC to track all leads that could 
reveal their location.  President Uribe has personally 
pledged GOC cooperation and support in any effort to rescue 
the hostages.  President Uribe has also given personal 
assurances that he would insist the U.S. hostages be included 
in any "humanitarian exchange" with the FARC.  The hostages' 
safe release continues to be one of our top priorities. 
 
 
WOOD