C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000897
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PREL, CO
SUBJECT: FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSES FRENCH
COMMITMENT TO FACILITATE GOC-FARC HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood
Reason: 1.4 (b,d)
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Summary
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1. (C) During an 18-hour visit to Bogota January 26, French
Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said France was
committed to facilitating an "humanitarian exchange" of
imprisoned FARC guerrillas for FARC hostages, but recognized
that agreement on such an exchange would require direct
GOC-FARC talks. The foreign minister emphasized that France
(and he personally) was committed to the release of all FARC
hostages, not just dual French-Colombian citizen Ingrid
Betancourt. According to a participant in a breakfast
meeting that Douste-Blazy hosted, the foreign minister
indirectly criticized President Uribe for announcing in
December, against France's advice, his immediate acceptance
of an international commission proposal to establish a
security zone in Colombia to conduct the talks. He also
criticized the FARC for "lies" in its January 1 statement
rejecting the commission's proposal. The foreign minister
met with Uribe and a range of prominent Colombians during his
short stay in the country. Representatives of the
international commission expect to meet FARC operatives in
the next few weeks. End summary.
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FRANCE COMMITTED TO HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE
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2. (C) In a joint press conference on January 26 with
Foreign Minister Carolina Barco, Douste-Blazy, who was on an
18-hour visit to Bogota, said France would continue to work
with fellow international commission countries Spain and
Switzerland to secure FARC acceptance of the commission's
proposal to facilitate an "humanitarian exchange" of
imprisoned FARC guerrillas for FARC hostages. (The
commission proposed December 13 that a "security zone" of
some 65 square miles be established to facilitate such
GOC-FARC talks; President Uribe publicly accepted the
proposal the same day, whereas the FARC rejected it on
January 1.) He said France would "do everything possible" to
ensure the FARC releases the hostages safely. Douste-Blazy
emphasized he was talking about all of the hostages, not just
dual French-Colombian citizen Ingrid Betancourt, and
underscored his personal commitment to the process.
Douste-Blazy met for an hour with President Uribe and they
had a five-minute one-on-one. The foreign minister later
said that 95 percent of the discussion was about humanitarian
exchange issues, and told reporters it was important for him
to hear that Uribe was committed to the process.
3. (C) Douste-Blazy told a breakfast meeting in Bogota
January 26 that France was committed to serving as mediator
(he also used the word "facilitator") to improve the chances
of a successful "humanitarian exchange." According to Carlos
Lozano (editor of the communist newspaper la Voz who is
knowledgeable about FARC thinking), who attended the
breakfast, Douste-Blazy said direct GOC-FARC conversations
would be required to ensure the safe release of the hostages.
Lozano said Douste-Blazy was indirectly critical of the GOC,
saying France had asked President Uribe not to announce his
acceptance of the international commission proposal in
December until the FARC had time to react. Douste-Blazy was
also critical of the FARC, telling his audience the FARC had
lied in its January 2 message rejecting the commission's
proposal. Contrary to the FARC statement, Douste-Blazy said,
the FARC received the commission proposal in a timely
fashion. Other breakfast attendees included Father Dario
Echeverri, former President Lopez Michelson, former defense
minister Martha Lucia Ramirez, former foreign minister Maria
Emma Mejia, and former Inspector General Jaime Bernal
Cuellar, and representatives of the hostages' families.
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International Commission Should Meet FARC Soon
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4. (C) Representatives of the international commission
countries plan to meet FARC operatives within two or three
weeks, according to Lozano.
WOOD