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S E C R E T BOGOTA 003585 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/21 
TAGS: PREL UNSC MARR ENRG PREF CO VE EC UY
SUBJECT: Charge Discusses Venezuela, Ecuador and Mercosur with Acting 
Foreign Minister 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Brian A. Nicho...


id: 240964
date: 12/21/2009 14:05
refid: 09BOGOTA3585
origin: Embassy Bogota
classification: SECRET//NOFORN
destination: 
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INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC


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S E C R E T BOGOTA 003585 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/21 
TAGS: PREL UNSC MARR ENRG PREF CO VE EC UY
SUBJECT: Charge Discusses Venezuela, Ecuador and Mercosur with Acting 
Foreign Minister 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Brian A. Nichols, Deputy Chief of Mission; REASON: 
1.4(B), (D) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) Acting Foreign Minister Clemencia Forero told the Charge on 
December 18 that the GOC had sent a letter to UN Security Council 
members responding to Venezuela's call for a discussion on the 
alleged international threat posed by Colombia's security problems. 
The letter was intended to give UNSC members the facts and full 
picture necessary to dismiss Venezuela's request.  Forero said the 
GOC was concerned that the worsening domestic situation in 
Venezuela would lead Chavez to do something rash.  She also 
complained of BRV harassment of Colombian consuls outside of 
Caracas.  Turning to Ecuador, Forero said the GOC was taking great 
care to keep rapprochement on track, and would supply energy to 
relieve some of Ecuador's shortage.  The recently appointed 
Ecuadoran Charge told us the same day that the two countries had 
made good progress on the roadmap announced by both Foreign 
Ministers in New York in September, but estimated it would be a 
least a year before Ecuador was ready to name an Ambassador to 
Colombia.  Scanning the rest of the region, the Colombian MFA was 
pleased that MERCOSUR members had abandoned Chavez' continued 
criticism of the U.S.-Colombia Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) 
and hoped Uruguayan President-Elect Jose Mujica would prove to be a 
pragmatic leader the GOC could work with.  End Summary. 
 
Discrediting Venezuela's UNSC Ploy 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (S) Acting Foreign Minister Clemencia Forero requested a meeting 
December 18 with Charge d'Affaires to explain the letter the GOC 
sent to UN Security Council members in response to Venezuela's call 
for a UNSC discussion on the alleged international threat posed by 
Colombia's security problems.  Forero said it was clear that 
Venezuela submitted the petition to divert attention from 
Venezuela's internal problems and aggressive posture towards 
Colombia.  She explained the GOC sent its letter so that UNSC 
members that do not follow Colombia closely would have the facts 
and full picture necessary to dismiss Venezuela's request.  She 
hoped that the issue would fade, and said the GOC would not 
escalate the argument further.  The Charge replied that the USG 
supported Colombia's position, and that it seemed most UNSC members 
saw through Venezuela's ploy. 
 
Besieged Chavez Could Do Something Rash 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (S/NF) Forero said that the GOC and some "intelligent" 
Venezuelan contacts (including former minister Asdrubal Aguiar) 
were concerned that the worsening domestic situation in Venezuela 
(crime, press freedoms, banks, corruption, food, etc.) would lead 
President Hugo Chavez to do something rash out of desperation. 
Forero said the GOC was considering whether to invoke the 
still-in-force bilateral 1939 Treaty on Non-Aggression, 
Conciliation, Arbitration, and Judicial Resolution (ratified in 
1941 by Colombia and Venezuela) to help dissuade Venezuela from any 
aggressive actions.  The treaty stipulates a conciliation 
commission and several mediation steps culminating with the 
International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague to avoid 
conflict.  Forero said Chavez might not be aware of the treaty and 
that Venezuela has historically disliked being a party to ICJ 
cases.  She said the GOC was keeping the treaty in its pocket 
pending further analysis, and asked us not to raise it with others 
at this point. 
 
¶4. (S) Forero noted that BRV support for the FARC continued, citing 
the incorporation of the FARC into Chavez' Bolivarian Continental 
Movement.  She also complained that Colombian consuls in cities 
like Valencia, Merida, and Barinas were being harassed, restricted 
in their travel and access (especially near the border), and even 
threatened with PNG declarations.  The harassment included daily 
protests, heckling and loudspeakers blasting anti-Colombian 
sentiments at the consulate.  The BRV was not renewing some 
 
 
consuls' visas (though the BRV did grant pending visas for 
diplomats assigned to the Embassy in Caracas).  Charge noted that 
the BRV also restricted the travel of U.S. diplomats to the border 
area and suggested that the aggrieved consuls share their 
experiences to the U.S. Embassy in Caracas if possible. 
 
GOC Nurturing Improved Relations with Ecuador 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Forero said the GOC was very pleased with the improving 
relationship with Ecuador, and was caring for it like one would "a 
premature baby."  She called good relations with Ecuador 
"fundamental" for Colombia, adding that Colombia hoped to keep 
Ecuador from Chavez' grasp.  She said it was rumored that 
Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Fander Falconi would be stepping down 
soon, which would be a huge blow given his professionalism and 
constructive disposition.  Forero said Colombia agreed to help 
Ecuador with its current energy shortages.  Though Colombia could 
not provide all of the energy Ecuador needed for technical and 
domestic consumption reasons, it would provide a much energy as it 
could to help alleviate what seemed to be a serious problem. 
 
¶6. (C) Charge met separately with Andres Teran, Ecuador's Charge in 
Colombia (arrived November 23 after diplomatic relations were 
reestablished), and his Political Counselor on November 18.  Teran 
said he had been very well received by the GOC and highlighted the 
resumption of the joint border committee (COMBIFRON), direct 
mil-mil dialogue, and two meetings on sensitive issues as signs of 
an improving relationship.  He arranged a meeting between both 
countries' Ministers of Energy in Medellin on December 17 where the 
GOC was very generous in offering a permanent and stable supply of 
energy to Ecuador to alleviate its energy shortage.  He said talks 
aiming to further improve relations were paused for the holidays, 
but would resume in January.  Teran thought that it would be at 
least a year before Ecuador would be ready to name an Ambassador to 
Colombia, as the points in the September roadmap had to be 
completed first.  The Charges discussed the difficult situation 
along the border, with Charge Nichols offering USG cooperation, 
especially with Colombian refugees.  Teran said Ecuador also valued 
its relationship with the United States, and praised the bilateral 
dialogue series and Embassy Quito. 
 
MERCOSUR Abandoned Chavez' DCA Complaints 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (S) Forero said the GOC was satisfied that the swell of MERCOSUR 
criticism of the U.S.-Colombia Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) 
had subsided.  She said Brazil had come to terms with the agreement 
and that MERCOSUR was fed up with Chavez' ranting, leaving 
Venezuela alone in its alarmist declarations.  Forero cited good 
cooperation with Paraguay and Uruguay, though expressed some 
concern over the unknowns regarding Uruguayan president-elect Jose 
Mujica's leanings.  She said Mujica seemed to have put his 
checkered past behind him, but that his congresswoman wife was 
"very radical." 
BROWNFIELD 

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