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DE RUEHBO #1809/01 0791952
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P 201952Z MAR 07
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UNCLAS BOGOTA 001809 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR H, PLEASE PASS TO CONGRESSMAN MCGOVERN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAM PTER PREL CO
SUBJECT: REPRESENTATIVE MCGOVERN MEETS WITH PRESIDENT URIBE 
 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet Distribution 
 
SUMMARY 
======= 
 
¶1. (SBU) In a March 2nd meeting with Representative James 
McGovern, President Uribe reviewed progress in the 
investigation into the high-profile killing of a victims 
representative in January.  Uribe highlighted the importance 
of a transparent Justice and Peace Law Process, explaining it 
was crucial in ensuring victims' access to truth, justice, 
and reparations.  He defended his strong reaction against 
opposition critics, but said he would exercise more restraint 
in the future.  McGovern said he would prefer more social aid 
in U.S. assistance for Colombia, but stressed he did not 
intend to call for cuts in overall assistance levels.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (SU) On March 2nd, Representative James McGovern (D-MA), 
Legislative Director Cindy Buhl, Program Director for the 
Center for International Policy Adam Issacson, Charge 
d'Affairs Milt Drucker, and Political Officer Kevin Murakami 
(notetaker) met with President Alvaro Uribe for an hour. 
Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Fernando Araujo, Minister 
of Agriculture Andres Felipe Arias, Minister of Mines Hernan 
Martinez, Presidential Communications Advisor Jorge Eastman, 
International Relations Director for Accion Social Diego 
Molano, MFA America Desk Officer Patricia Cortes, and Luis 
Araujo of the Colombian Embassy to the United States also 
attended. 
 
PROGRESS IN YOLANDA IZQUIERDO'S MURDER CASE 
=========================================== 
 
¶3. (SBU) Asked about protection of victims participating in 
the Justice and Peace Law (JPL) process, Uribe telephoned 
General Naranjo, chief of the Judicial Police (DIJIN), who 
explained the police had captured the material author in the 
murder of victims' representative Yolanda Izquierdo.  Naranjo 
said the investigation was 80 percent complete; he expected 
to arrest soon the intellectual author and her intermediary. 
Uribe said after the killing, he had announced a 100 million 
peso reward and ordered the seizure of all paramilitary 
assets.  Uribe noted he had made the decision to seize these 
assets two weeks before the Izquierdo murder, but Eduardo 
Pizarro, head of the National Reparations Commission, had 
advised him to postpone the action to give the 
ex-paramilitary chiefs the chance to surrender their assets 
voluntarily.  Uribe reiterated his determination that the 
paramilitaries hand over all their assets, "voluntarily or 
through force." 
 
URIBE DEFENDS DEMOBILIZATION, JUSTICE AND PEACE PROCESS 
============================================= ========== 
 
¶4. (SBU) Uribe said a transparent JPL process was crucial in 
assuring victims' access to truth, justice, and reparations. 
For example, Uribe wanted the voluntary confessions (version 
libre) of ex-para chiefs to be broadcast. "We need to know 
the truth," he said.  Uribe said he was surprised that some 
of his political supporters had paramilitary links, but 
stressed the need for the JPL process to uncover all such 
relationships, regardless of office or status. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Uribe said his Democratic Security Policy led to the 
demobilization process.  GOC security forces had killed 1,700 
paramilitaries since he took office; this pressure had led to 
the voluntary paramilitary demobilization.  McGovern 
expressed his concern over ex-paramilitaries forming new 
criminal groups.  Uribe reiterated the GOC's commitment to 
combat this problem.  He estimated there were approximately 
1,600 ex-paramilitaries trying to rearm, with about 50 
mid-level leaders involved.  In addition, Uribe said four 
major paramilitary chiefs were still at large.  He had 
appointed a special task force to pursue the newly emerging 
groups and the fugitive para chiefs.  "The army and police 
have their orders," Uribe said, "And that order is to arrest 
or kill them." 
 
URIBE ON OPPOSITION: "I'LL TRY TO RESTRAIN MYSELF" 
============================================= ===== 
 
¶6. (SBU) McGovern raised complaints by human rights groups 
over Uribe's public criticism of human rights groups and 
political opposition leaders.  Uribe defended his statements 
against some members of the Polo Democratico Alternativo 
(POLO), but said he would try to restrain himself in the 
future.  He explained his remark that certain politicians had 
gone from being "terrorists wearing camouflage to wearing 
business suits" was made only after POLO opposition leader 
Senator Gustavo Petro had publicly accused Uribe's brother of 
being a paramilitary.  "My critics attack me as the fascist, 
paramilitary president," Uribe stated, "but I cannot tolerate 
such unfounded attacks against my family."  Uribe also noted 
that Petro was a member of the guerrilla group M-19, and that 
neither Petro nor any other M-19 member had undergone a JPL 
process-like confession.  The JPL process was far tougher 
than the process through which the M-19 and the EPL had 
demobilized. 
 
URIBE TOUTS ACHIEVEMENTS OF DEMOCRATIC SECURITY POLICY... 
============================================= ============ 
 
¶7. (SBU) Uribe said his democratic security policy benefited 
all Colombians.  When he took office, there were 68 killings 
for every 100,000 persons; today, the number is down to 38. 
He had ordered the military and police to provide equal 
protection to both his supporters and opponents.  Uribe 
emphasized his commitment to protect trade unionists, 
mentioning he meets with the three heads of the trade 
confederations on a monthly basis.  He said the number of 
trade unionists homicides had fallen by over half since he 
took office.  Still, Uribe lamented that the murder of a 
single trade unionist was one too many. 
 
...AND PLUGS SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROGRESS 
==================================== 
 
¶8. (SBU) Uribe touched on socio-economic programs under his 
government.  He highlighted the recent 6.3 percent minimum 
wage increase - the third to take place since he took office 
- and noted that collective bargaining negotiations had 
resulted in an average 8 percent salary increase.  He 
explained Colombia has one of the highest rates of vocational 
training in Latin America, and that Colombians enjoy full 
health coverage.  He said 5 million families receive 
micro-credits, and beginning in August, 1.5 million families 
will receive a bi-monthly subsidy to assist in education 
costs.  Uribe emphasized the importance of the FTA in 
ensuring continued economic growth. 
 
ELN PEACE PROCESS 
================= 
 
¶9. (SBU) Uribe said High Commissioner for Peace Luis Carlos 
Restrepo had just returned from peace talks with the ELN in 
Cuba.  He described Restrepo as "pessimistic" over the talks' 
prospects for success.  Uribe said ELN members should be 
subject to the same standards paramilitaries were facing 
under the JPL process, but stated the ELN had rejected these 
terms as "too harsh."  Uribe said Cuba had been "helpful" in 
facilitating the talks. 
 
MCGOVERN AND URIBE DISCUSS U.S. ASSISTANCE 
========================================== 
 
¶10. (SBU) McGovern expressed his preference to redistribute 
U.S. assistance to Colombia, with less aid going to the 
military and more towards social initiatives.  Still, he 
emphasized that Congressional Democrats had never discussed 
cutting the amount of aid for Colombia.  McGovern said he 
opposed aerial fumigation, but doubted the Congress would end 
the spray program.  He said the State Department should 
withhold human rights certification of military aid. 
 
¶11. (U) Representative McGovern did not clear this message. 
Drucker