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UNCLAS QUITO 000108 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SNAR EC CO
SUBJECT: CORREA AND URIBE ANNOUNCE DEAL ON SPRAY STUDY 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  President-elect Rafael Correa of Ecuador 
and President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia announced an agreement 
on January 10 to conduct a tripartite study of the aerial 
fumigation of coca crops in Colombia along the Ecuadorian 
border.  The study would be conducted by representatives of 
each country and an international organization, possibly the 
OAS or UN.  Outgoing Ecuadorian FM Francisco Carrion 
immediately and publicly criticized the accord on January 11, 
calling it "a step backwards" for Ecuador.  The hasty accord 
reflects Correa's decisive (and impulsive) leadership style, 
and his eagerness to smooth things over with Uribe.  We will 
continue to encourage him to do so.  Uribe's attendance at 
Correa's inauguration, though unconfirmed, would offer the 
next important opportunity to do so, even more so if Uribe is 
prepared to say the current round of fumigation has been 
completed.  End Summary. 
 
The Agreement 
------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The agreement was reached directly between the two 
heads of state in Managua, during a half-hour meeting on the 
margins of the Ortega inauguration, on January 10.  In 
announcing the verbal agreement to the press, Correa 
described the agreement as "a huge step forward" for 
bilateral relations.  The tripartite commission, he said, 
would include representatives of "Ecuador, Colombia, and the 
OAS or UN, with the objective of determining whether 
fumigation on the Colombian side of the border has no effect 
on the Ecuadorian side, and if not, to take appropriate 
measures."  The GOC would be required to inform the 
commission of any spraying in advance, so the commission 
could confirm any effects on the Ecuadorian side.  The 
agreement would not preclude Ecuador from pursing 
international claims for compensation for damages, he said. 
The commission would decide on the GOE's request that the GOC 
suspend fumigations within 10 km of the border, he said. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In their initial and subsequent public statements, 
Correa and his FM-designate Maria Fernanda Espinosa described 
the accord as including the following elements: 
 
-- Formation of the tripartite commission, consisting of 
representatives of the GOE, GOC, and the OAS or UN. 
 
-- Advance Colombian notification to Ecuador each time 
spraying near the border is initiated, to permit observation 
by commission inspectors. 
 
-- Eventual agreement to terms of reference of a prospective 
study of health effects of glyphosate. 
 
-- Taking of testimony from persons who believe they are 
affected by the spraying, on both sides of the border. 
 
Carrion Critical 
---------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) FM Carrion, just back from an inconclusive OAS 
Executive Board meeting in Washington on January 9 where he 
presented GOE complaints about Colombian fumigations, was 
quick to criticize the accord for departing from the Palacio 
government's policy of "firmness and dialogue" with Colombia. 
 No doubt stung by appearing to have been ineffectual in his 
own efforts to solve the problem, he said by engaging in 
dialogue without any Colombian commitment to return to its 
2005 written agreement with Ecuador to suspend spraying 
indefinitely, the new agreement represented a "step 
backwards" for Ecuador.  It would be a mistake to permit OAS 
representation (vs. the UN) on the tripartite commission, he 
suggested, since the OAS had already concluded that 
glyphosate spraying was safe.  The Palacio government would 
maintain its policy of withdrawing its ambassador from Bogota 
until spraying stopped.  It would be up to Correa to decide 
whether to return Ecuador's ambassador to Bogota.  Press 
noted that then-president Lucio Gutierrez made a similar 
agreement with Uribe in 2003, but the joint study was never 
realized. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) FM-designate Espinosa defended the accord against 
Carrion's criticism, saying "the position of president Correa 
and the new government has been very firm, and will continue 
to firmly defend the health of Ecuadorians living near the 
border and the environment of this region." 
 
Colombian MOD Stirs Pot 
----------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In interviews with Ecuadorian press, Colombian 
MinDef Juan Manuel Santos confirmed that USG-financed 
fumigation efforts would continue, saying only 1,000 of 
13,000 hectares of FARC coca plantations remained to be 
eradicated.  He said the GOC would reinforce its presence 
along the border by sending a 400-man battalion to the border 
region during the week of January 15, and as of February, 
3,100 workers would begin manual eradication in 10 Colombian 
departments.  Santos lamented that the GOE had collaborated 
less with the GOC on border issues than Peru had, but 
expressed hope for better cooperation from the Correa 
government.  He reaffirmed GOC claims that coca crops are 
being cultivated in Ecuador, and said the location of the 
crops had been shared with Ecuadorian police counterparts. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Asked if he thought the closure of the Manta FOL in 
2009 would hurt Colombia, Santos said he did not think so, 
since GOC intelligence and actions against illegal armed 
groups did not depend upon the existence of a base in 
Ecuador.  "The U.S. has its own activities; we do not depend 
solely on them." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Neither we nor our MFA counterparts have yet seen 
any offiical document defining the announced presidential 
accord.  The unconfirmed verbal agreement reflects Correa's 
impulsive but decisive style, and demonstrates an eagerness 
to advance the fumigation issue sufficiently at least to 
permit Uribe's attendance at Correa's inauguration. 
Carrion's criticism could cost Correa and his incoming 
foreign policy team, fueling speculation here that his 
decision was hasty and without full consideration of the 
consequences, but if spraying ends shortly the issue could go 
away for awhile.  Nevertheless, the accord, if confirmed, 
appears to clear the way for Uribe's attendance at the Correa 
inauguration on January 15, offering an important opportunity 
for further progress. 
JEWELL