US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA10847

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 010847 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2015 
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, PGOV, EAID, CO 
SUBJECT: DRUG CZAR WALTERS MEETING WITH MOD OSPINA AND 
CUPOLA 
 
 
Classified By: Charge Milton K. Drucker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) November 10, 2005, 8:00-9:00, Ministry of Defense, 
Bogota 
 
2. (U) Participants: 
 
U.S. 
---- 
 
John P. Walters, Director ONDCP 
Patrick Ward, ONDCP A/D 
Richard O'Connor, ONDCP 
Julie Connor, Narcotics Affairs Section Director 
Col. Kevin Saderup, MilGroup Commander 
Col. Brian Butcher, Defense Attache 
Paul Mahlstedt, Narcotics Affairs 
Alberto Rodriguez, Narcotics Affairs Officer 
Dana Brown, Notetaker 
Nohemy Kattan, Interpreter 
 
Colombia 
--------- 
 
Camilo Ospina Bernal, Minister of Defense 
Gen. Carlos Ospina, Commanding General of the Armed Forces 
Gen. Freddy Padilla, Chief Joint Staff 
Gen. Edgar Lesmez, Commander of Air Force 
Gen. Mauricio Soto, Commander of Navy 
Gen. Reinaldo Castellanos, Commander of the Army 
BGen. Jorge Baron, Director Antinarcotics Police (DIRAN) 
Mr. Julian Ponton, Director of International Relations 
 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
3. (C) Defense Minister Camilo Ospina and his military cupola 
briefed the Office of National Drug Control Director John 
Walters on priority areas of bilateral cooperation on 
counter-narcotics efforts: increasing flexibility with 
interdiction, eradication, and Air Bridge Denial operations; 
augmenting resources, especially for Narino and Cauca 
Departments; and strengthening international law enforcement 
cooperation on narcotics criminals.  Walters agreed that 
flexibility and cooperation were necessary to 
counter-narcotics successes.  He stressed, however, that U.S. 
resources were finite and that Colombia had to prioritize and 
coordinate its operations.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Prioritizing Scarce CN Resources 
-------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Minister Camilo Ospina reported that counter-narcotics 
eradication had surpassed 2005 goals, but stressed that 
further resources would be necessary to allow for success in 
long-term drug eradication efforts.  Ospina and Army General 
Castellanos noted that three aerial spray packages were not 
enough; a fourth package would allow permanent coverage in 
different cultivation areas without allowing cultivators any 
recovery time (as they have now).  Ospina raised concerns 
about the increasing narcotics cultivation in Narino and 
Cauca Departments in southwest Colombia.  The MOD also 
expressed concern that the third spray package (T-65s) was 
not flying and asked that it resume its mission.  Admiral 
Soto requested U.S. assistance in providing a fuel supply for 
remote areas in those departments to allow the military to 
refuel locally rather than having to depend on distant 
supplies.  He also cited the need for a base in Tumaco from 
which to launch operations on the Pacific coast, and for two 
maritime patrol aircraft. 
 
5. (C) ONDCP Director Walters recognized Ospina's concerns, 
but underscored the limits to U.S. resource availability, 
especially given commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.  While 
he noted that the GOC would receive slightly more assistance 
in 2006 than this year, he recommended the GOC identify vital 
resource needs and focus assistance requests on items 
primarily available in the United States.  For example, he 
 
suggested that the Colombian military resolve fuel supply 
issues while the United States focused on airframes to 
counter Narino's growing cultivation.  Such an resource 
division would allow more efficient coverage overall, 
according to Walters.  He also mentioned the possibility of 
ONDCP establishing an asset sharing agreement with the U.S. 
Department of Homeland Security.  Walters said he had asked 
the Deputy Secretary of DHS to lend assets for maritime 
patrol when the United States was on lower terrorist alert 
status.  He encouraged Colombia to seek similar cross-agency 
cooperation. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Air Bridge Denial and Transit Nations' Resources 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
6. (C) Air Force Commander General Lesmez praised the Air 
Bridge Denial (ABD) program overall, but voiced concerns 
about the legal limitations placed on pilots and the balance 
between source- and transit-nation counter-narcotics efforts. 
 He said the 12-mile limit imposed on the Citation Tracker 
aircraft made it difficult for the Colombian Air Force to 
respond or even identify targets.  He requested that the 
limit be extended from 12 miles to 80 to allow for proper 
identification of narcotics trafficking aircraft.  Lesmez 
reaffirmed Colombia's commitment to safe ABD operations to 
avoid tragic errors, but underscored the need for greater 
leeway.  He also recommended that, in general, the United 
States consider shifting counter-narcotics resources 
currently used in transit nations towards narcotics source 
nations to improve interdiction.  He also asked for an 
increase in the number of flight hours financed through the 
ABD program. 
 
7. (C) Director Walters offered to review the possibility of 
extending the ABD's protocol limits.  He also stated that the 
USG had already reduced resources assigned to the transit 
zone and had focused remaining resources on targeted 
operations.  He encouraged Colombia to do the same by using 
resources in coordinated, intelligence-driven operations 
rather than attempting to cover all narcotics cultivation and 
transportation areas simultaneously. 
 
-------------------------- 
Spraying in National Parks 
-------------------------- 
 
8. (C) MOD Ospina said the relevant GOC offices met to 
discuss the issue of spraying in the national parks after 
Walters' meeting the day before with President Uribe.  GOC 
officials decided to move forward with eradication in La 
Macarena National Park and planned to move military forces in 
to secure it for manual eradication.  If General Castellanos 
decides it is not possible to eradicate manually, the GOC 
will authorize aerial spraying. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Multiple Targets Require Flexibility 
------------------------------------ 
 
9. (C) MOD Ospina told Walters that the drug kingpins were 
not only the simple "drug mobsters" but also the 
narcoterrorists who cloak their work in political 
justifications.  He reported the GOC's efforts to go after 
both kinds of narcotics traffickers and to eliminate leaders. 
 He said the GOC needed resources, flexibility, and 
information to be able to capture or kill such drug chiefs. 
 
10. (U) Walters acknowledged the need for greater flexibility 
and thanked MOD Ospina for the military and police actions 
against narcotics in Colombia.  He offered to investigate the 
status of urgent equipment requests that were delayed in the 
U.S. foreign military sales process.  He further mentioned 
that he would be willing to request that the British 
government encourage Venezuela to cooperate with Colombian 
counter-narcotics counterparts.  Despite U.S. resource 
limitations, Walters confirmed the USG was willing to assist 
Colombia in its efforts to help do more with less on 
counter-narcotics issues. 
 
11. (U) This message was cleared by ONDCP. 
DRUCKER