US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA11084

S E C R E T BOGOTA 011084 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2015 
TAGS: MARR, MCAP, PARM, PREL, CO, US, GOV 
SUBJECT: DIALOGUE ON A FRAMEWORK FOR A STRATEGIC DEFENSE 
RELATIONSHIP WITH COLOMBIA 
 
REF: SECSTATE 207620 
 
Classified By: Charge Milton K. Drucker, Reasons: 1.4 (b) & (d) 
 
1. (S) Per reftel, Polcouns and DATT initiated dialogue on a 
framework for a strategic defense relationship with VMOD 
Andres Penate and COLMIL's General Padilla on November 22, 
and with MFA Vice Minister Reyes on November 23.  The three 
officials constitute the internal GOC working group on the 
matter.  Embassy officers also shared the draft text provided 
in reftel. 
 
2. (S) Penate said he was "extremely pleased" to receive the 
draft and to be at this stage in the discussions, and noted 
that the ball was now in the GOC's court for a formal 
response.  After a quick read of the text, he expressed 
satisfaction with the "considerable conceptual overlap" 
between U.S. and GOC views.  General Padilla asked whether 
joint training of special forces and collaboration on 
anti-mine efforts needed to be spelled out specifically in 
the text, as some other issues were, or whether they would be 
covered under more general language paragraphs.  Penate 
underscored that the GOC wanted to pursue these discussions 
in a quiet and informal manner and hoped to wait until after 
the presidential elections before taking the initiative 
public. 
 
3. (S) News of Penate's nomination by President Uribe to head 
the DAS (Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad), roughly 
equivalent to the FBI, hit the press earlier on November 22. 
Penate said he was not sure whether Hernan Sanin, reported to 
replace him at the MOD (and brother of former Presidential 
candidate and current Ambassador to Spain and Uribe confidant 
Noemi Sanin), would be assigned this issue or whether it 
would pass to someone else at the MOD.  He said the Embassy 
would be informed as soon as a decision was made. 
DRUCKER