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Viewing cable 06QUITO258, GOE PROTESTS ALLEGED GOC INCURSION
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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
06QUITO258 | 2006-01-31 23:51 | 2011-08-30 01:44 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Quito |
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHQT #0258 0312351
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 312351Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3472
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA IMMEDIATE 5286
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA IMMEDIATE 0246
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ FEB 9621
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA IMMEDIATE 3539
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS IMMEDIATE 1525
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA IMMEDIATE 0585
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL IMMEDIATE 9810
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS QUITO 000258
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MOPS PREL SNAR PTER EC CO
SUBJECT: GOE PROTESTS ALLEGED GOC INCURSION
¶1. (U) Summary: Reports that Colombian military units
entered Ecuadorian territory in hot pursuit of FARC
irregulars on January 28 prompted vociferous GOE protests.
End Summary.
Reported Facts
--------------
¶2. (U) According to the press, three Black Hawk helicopters
and two Colombian military planes violated Ecuadorian
airspace in pursuit of FARC rebels in the border village of
El Bermejo, Sucumbios province on January 28. Both sides
reportedly exchanged gunfire for 11 hours, causing damage to
local property and forcing local residents to flee the area
temporarily. The GOE deployed 300 troops on January 29 to
investigate the purported incursion.
¶3. (U) The incursion caused nearly 100 residents of the
Sucumbios border town of Barranca Bermeja to flee their homes
for the nearby village of Santa Rosa. UNHCR reported
assisting 91 persons ) 35 adults and 56 children. By late
Monday afternoon, all families had returned home, a UNHCR
spokesman said. Although media reports spoke of 70 families
with 150 children taxing the facilities of tiny Santa Rosa,
both UNHCR and International Organization for Migration
recorded the number of displaced persons at fewer than 100,
most Colombians residing in Ecuador.
GOE Reaction
------------
¶4. (U) Foreign Minister Francisco Carrion issued what he
described as an &energetic8 protest of the alleged
incursion on January 30 to Colombian Ambassador Carlos
Holguin, publicly stating that such actions impede efforts to
improve bilateral relations. FM Carrion told the press that
while Ecuador and Colombia are aligned against
narco-traffickers, this does not authorize the GOC to enter
Ecuador at will. Minister of Defense Oswaldo Jarrin on
January 30 publicly confirmed the violation of Ecuadorian
airspace, while Colombian and Ecuadorian military officials
met in San Miguel, Sucumbios to discuss the issue and
exchange evidence, per recent bilateral accords.
¶5. (SBU) MOD Jarrin ordered the Ecuadorian Air Force on
January 31 to activate the country's air defense system,
stating that the measure would allow the GOE to detect
further violations of Ecuadorian airspace. But with the
system's limited capability and the Ministry's lack of
resources, the statement may represent symbolic posturing
rather than actual military threat.
Bogota Studies Incident
-----------------------
¶6. (SBU) PolOff met with Colombian DCM Salvador Escobar on
January 31 to assess GOC reaction. Mr. Escobar provided a
statement made by Colombian VFM Camilo Reyes on January 31,
in which he said the GOC is awaiting the results of the
investigation to officially respond to the GOE. However, VFM
Reyes noted that the two governments are utilizing mechanisms
created to deal with such incidents, and that Colombia is
fundamentally respectful of Ecuadorian sovereignty,
appreciative of GOE cooperation, and hopeful that the two
countries would continue efforts to stamp out
narco-trafficking and illegal armed group activity.
Comment
-------
¶7. (SBU) The GOE,s public posturing on the suspected
January 28 incursion is clearly defensive in nature, and we
believe an attempt to quickly quell public nationalistic
backlash. It is encouraging to see the newly established
bilateral mechanism for post-incident consultations work as
planned at the operational level in the border zone. We hope
the tension can be contained quickly, and not setback recent
positive strides in cross-border relations.
JEWELL