US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA10895

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 010895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PGOV, CO 
SUBJECT: GOC REOPENS PEACE NEGOTIATION OPTION WITH ELN 
 
REF: A. BOGOTA 10498 
     B. BOGOTA 10106 
 
Classified By: Charge Milton K. Drucker, reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (U) On November 13, in response to a letter from the 
guarantors group of the "Peace House" initiative with the 
ELN, Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo issued a call to 
the National Liberation Army's (ELN) Central Command leaders 
to begin negotiations with the government under the auspices 
of an international guarantor.  He noted that talks would be 
on a parallel track with the ELN's civil society discussions 
in the "Peace House" in Antioquia department.  Restrepo 
declared that the ELN's five "obstacles to peace," initially 
outlined in August, were issues that needed to be discussed, 
but should not become issues that preempt talks.  He urged 
the ELN to respond to the GOC's offer, but as of November 18, 
the COCE had not replied.  End summary. 
 
2. (U) Begin informal translation of Restrepo's statement: 
 
Bogota, November 13, 2005 
 
Peace House Guarantors Group 
Civil Facilitation Commission 
Dear Sirs, 
 
I received your letter dated November 11, which highlighted 
the need to prepare for a formal Government and ELN meeting 
in conjunction with the Peace House process.  I understand 
that a similar letter was sent to the ELN's Central Command 
(COCE). 
 
We have evaluated your proposal with interest.  It is 
necessary to advance a peace process with the ELN in the 
context of the Government's efforts.  To this end, subsequent 
to the conversations in Cuba at the end of 2002, and the 
pre-negotiation process mediated by Mexico from June 2004 to 
April 2005, the Government offered the ELN the possibility of 
establishing a pre-negotiation dialogue abroad with an 
international guarantor, to discuss a cease-fire.   Said 
group responded with a list of five barriers which, according 
to them, blocked the advancement of a peace process in 
Colombia: the denial of the armed conflict, the GOC's refusal 
of civil society participation (in negotiations), the denial 
of a humanitarian crisis, the inattention to social causes of 
the conflict, and the peace process with the paramilitaries. 
 
In response, the President has said he would accept the 
existence of a conflict, resolvable within a democratic 
process, if the ELN were to cease its hostilities.  The 
government has never denied the serious humanitarian 
situation, a situation that has improved significantly during 
this administration.  To allow discussions with civil 
society, we granted Francisco Galan a special three-month 
parole from prison.  We have always maintained that a 
peace-friendly climate depends on social cohesion and 
equitable public policy.  With respect to the process with 
the self-defense forces, we reiterate that, in doing so we 
accomplished one of the pre-requirements guerrillas demand to 
begin a peace process: the dismantlement of the 
paramilitaries. 
 
The justification for the five obstacles cannot become the 
reasons to take a step backwards in relation to the position 
taken by the ELN in June 2004, when it proposed moving 
forward with initial agreements with the government on 
military and humanitarian issues despite similar concerns. 
The ELN left the discussion about "transformations that the 
country needs in all sectors" for another occasion, the 
"National Convention."  In the June 14, 2004 document titled 
"The Humanitarian Accord and Roads towards Peace," the ELN 
proposed setting aside concerns about initiating a potential 
peace process through action rather than interminable 
discussions. 
Using the structure suggested by the ELN, the Government 
responded in August 2004 with a proposed two-phase plan: an 
end to the ELN's hostility, including suspending response 
against offensive action taken by the military and police 
against the armed group; and the calling for a "National 
Convention" once the hostilities have ceased.  To complement 
the humanitarian accord, we proposed joint demining programs, 
and judicial benefits in the form of decreased prison 
sentences for members of the ELN once the kidnapped persons 
were released.  Early in 2005, to move the process forward, 
we insisted on a meeting between the Government of Colombia 
and the ELN, to have been held in Mexico as soon as the ELN 
agreed to a cease-fire.  The ELN, once again, frustrated the 
Mexican's attempts to facilitate the negotiations by failing 
to suspend kidnapping and declining to participate in the 
meetings in Mexico. 
 
The central focus of the House of Peace in Antioquia has been 
discussing the five obstacles with different civil society 
groups.  Although we value that endeavor, we believed you 
said your organization's points should be taken as an agenda 
to be brought to the table for discussion in meetings or at a 
National Convention, not to be taken as obstacles in the way 
of beginning a peace process.  These "obstacles" are the same 
problems presented before, and have resulted in a rise in the 
perpetual violence plaguing this country.  We think that 
these obstacles should be brought forth for discussion by the 
ELN, and should be dealt with in a civil manner, which is at 
the heart of democracy. 
 
We share your need to move forward with exploratory meetings 
between the COCE, the Government of Colombia and 
international observers, in a manner consistent with the 
efforts of the Peace House.  I have authorization from the 
President to broach this matter with Mr. Francisco Galan and 
other pertinent contacts, under the auspices of international 
interlocutors agreed upon by both parties. 
 
I hope that this new step on the part of the Government to 
move a peace process with the ELN forward will be fruitful as 
everyone hopes. 
 
 
Luis Carlos Restrepo 
High Commissioner for Peace 
 
End text. 
 
3. (C) It is worth noting that in a meeting with a group of 
chiefs of mission at the British Ambassador's residence, Vice 
President Santos expressed the government's frustration with 
the ELN's inconsistent and erratic approach to negotiations. 
He asked openly if the ELN was worth talking to since they 
were marginalized as a fighting force and under FARC 
influence.  Most of the COMs present expressed the view that 
it would be politically useful to have a viable peace process 
with the ELN. 
DRUCKER