US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA6223

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 006223 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREF, PHUM, PINR, CO 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH GOVERNOR OF VALLE DE 
CAUCA 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary.  On June 24 the Ambassador met with the 
Governor of the Department of Valle de Cauca.  The Governor 
endorsed Uribe's Democratic Security policy and the use of a 
legal framework like the newly adopted Justice and Peace law 
to demobilize the AUC and the FARC.  He said the FARC may be 
missing a golden opportunity to negotiate a demobilization in 
the current environment.  End summary. 
 
2. (C) Dr. Angelino Garzon was elected Governor of the 
Department of Valle de Cauca in 2003, and is a leader of the 
left and a member of the Polo Democratico.  Garzon told the 
Ambassador that "Everyone wants peace and security. Without 
security, people can't participate in democracy."  While 
emphasizing that social programs were important for the 
protection of vulnerable communities in the region, security 
had to come first.  Garzon said if the Constitutional Court 
approved the reelection law, parties on the left would not 
pose a threat to President Uribe if they relied on a 
"traditional leftist agenda, emphasizing only social welfare 
programs."  He said Uribe understood that security and social 
welfare programs both cost money, and that it was important 
not to limit his agenda to one issue like welfare reform, but 
also to push for more economic and business development in 
the country. 
 
3. (C) Garzon saw progress in Uribe's Democratic Security 
policy, and said that "the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces 
of Colombia) have reached their apogee."  The only logical 
next step would be for the international community and other 
groups like the Church and NGOs to pressure the GOC to create 
a legal framework for the FARC to demobilize.  "Uribe is 
holding all the cards," he said; "he can continue the 
conflict with the FARC or offer it the option to legally 
negotiate a settlement.  But we have to keep the pressure on 
so that the FARC will see the endgame and realize that by not 
ending its kidnapping and narcotrafficking now it is missing 
an opportunity to negotiate its future."  Expressing doubts 
about whether FARC leaders were really capable of rationally 
negotiating demobilization, the Ambassador asked Garzon 
whether he thought this was the most opportune moment for a 
settlement.  Garzon responded that there was support  at many 
levels of the GOC to achieve an accord with the FARC -- even 
within the military.  Even though the military shares 
responsibility for the harm that has come to Colombians, he 
has heard that they know that now is the right time for an 
accord, and that provoking desertions is working. 
 
4. (C) Regarding the Justice and Peace law (see septels) 
recently approved by the Congress, Garzon said it was created 
with the influences of NGOs and the international community. 
"It's not a perfect law, but it's a good political tool. 
It's not a perfect process, but it's a process.  People are 
always going to look for complete reparation.  With this law, 
they will look at what they have to give up in order to get 
peace."  Garzon said illegal armed groups had been able to 
wield influence at all levels of Government, but that by 
using a legal framework for demobilization, Colombia would 
maintain its character as a democracy and a country of law. 
WOOD