US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA4466

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 004466 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, KJUS, CO, PHUH, ELN Peace Process 
SUBJECT: COLOMBIA: PEACE COMMISSIONER DISCUSSES PROCESS 
WITH ELN; CRITICIZES CUBAN AND FRENCH INTERFERENCE 
 
REF: STATE 84333 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) In a May 10 conversation with the Ambassador, Peace 
Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo was pessimistic about 
re-starting a peace process with the ELN.  He expressed 
concern that Cuba and the other "group of friends" countries 
continued to communicate with the ELN without GOC 
authorization, and were pushing to renew a peace process that 
would not/not hold the ELN to a cease-fire or an end to 
kidnapping.  He also complained that France had held meetings 
with the FARC to secure Ingrid Betancourt's release without 
notifying the GOC, and predicted French authorities would 
continue doing so despite GOC objections.  End Summary. 
 
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ELN Process Unlikely 
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2. (C) Peace Commissioner Restrepo told the Ambassador he was 
not optimistic that a peace process could be restarted with 
the ELN after the group rejected Mexican facilitation.  He 
charged that Cuba had been working with the other "group of 
friends" countries (Spain, Switzerland, France, and Norway) 
to remove the Mexicans since December 2004.  Restrepo 
expressed concerns about Cuba's ongoing efforts to reach out 
to the ELN, noting that the Cuban Ambassador to Colombia, in 
the name of the group of friends, had been communicating 
directly with the ELN without GOC permission.  Restrepo said 
he would try to persuade the Cuban Ambassador to stop, and 
planned to make the same appeal to the Norwegian charge, who 
recently took over from Cuba as coordinator for the group of 
friends. 
 
3. (C) Restrepo believed that Cuba resented the Mexican role 
and had disagreed with Mexico's decision to hold the ELN to 
Colombia's demand for a cease-fire and cessation of 
kidnapping before talking.  He said that, by the time the ELN 
rejected Mexican facilitation on April 17 reportedly because 
of Mexico's vote against Cuba at the UN Commission on Human 
Rights, the process had already been frozen over the ELN's 
refusal to cease kidnapping.  Restrepo noted the GOC had even 
offered to fund a peace and demobilization process in 
response to ELN public claims that it could not afford to end 
kidnapping.  The ELN privately admitted that its refusal was 
political rather than financial. 
 
4. (C) Restrepo also said the FARC was pressuring the ELN to 
continue kidnapping and the ELN leadership did not have the 
power to force its units to stop.  He asserted that 
kidnapping was the only weapon the ELN had to intimidate the 
public and pressure the GOC, and that ELN senior commander 
Antonio Garcia continued to be against a peace process and in 
favor of closer ties to the FARC. 
 
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France Overstepping 
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5. (C) Restrepo noted that France had been particularly 
difficult with respect to the peace process because of its 
determination to secure Ingrid Betancourt's release.  Just 
prior to FARC commander Simon Trinidad's extradition, the 
French Ambassador to Colombia notified Restrepo that an 
influential French civilian had met with FARC Secretariat 
member Raul Reyes without GOC permission.  According to the 
French Ambassador, said Restrepo, Reyes had agreed to release 
at least six hostages (three men and three women) in exchange 
for Trinidad not being extradited.  President Uribe 
authorized Restrepo to explore the possibility.  The FARC 
ultimately rejected the GOC's offer not to extradite Trinidad 
if the FARC released all 63 of its hostages. 
6. (C) Since that time, the un-named French citizen had met 
at least once again with Reyes without notifying the GOC. 
The Frenchman even complained when stopped and questioned by 
Colombian security forces.  Restrepo predicted that France 
would continue doing whatever was necessary, including paying 
the FARC, to get Betancourt released regardless of GOC 
objections.  The Ambassador said he would pass on Restrepo's 
concerns to Washington. 
 
7. (C) Comment: According to reftel, French Foreign Minister 
Barnier told the Secretary on May 2 that France "is careful 
to coordinate with the Colombians" on its contacts with the 
FARC and denied that Colombian officials had learned of 
French contacts after the fact on several occasions. 
WOOD