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C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 001258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2014 
TAGS: PREL MARR MASS MOPS SNAR PTER EC CO
SUBJECT: NEW COLOMBIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ECUADOR 
 
REF: QUITO 01180 
 
Classified By: PolOff Jarahn Hillsman, Reasons 1.4 (b&d) 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo 
made his first official visit to Ecuador on May 28.  During 
the visit, Araujo stressed the need for continued 
anti-narcotics cooperation; communicated GOC willingness to 
compensate border residents for damage caused by aerial 
fumigations (if proven scientifically); and expressed 
Colombia's interest in supporting Plan Ecuador initiatives. 
Espinosa welcomed the GOC position on fumigations, noting it 
as helpful in moving forward on more pressing bilateral 
issues.  Press coverage of the visit was positive, and the 
GOC position on glyphosate appears to have put bilateral 
relations back on track for now.  The tripartite committee on 
glyphosate will meet on July 8. End Summary. 
 
Araujo Strikes a Conciliatory Tone on Glyphosate 
 
¶2.  (U) In his first official visit to Ecuador since 
replacing Maria Araujo as Colombia's foreign minister, 
Fernando Araujo on May 28 met with Ecuadorian Foreign 
Minister Maria Espinosa.  In a joint press conference 
following the reportedly cordial session, Araujo stressed the 
need for continued cross-border cooperation to effectively 
combat narcotics trafficking and terrorism.  Turning to 
glyphosate, Araujo said that aerial fumigations within 10 
kilometers of the Ecuadorian border had been suspended, and 
that the GOC would redouble manual eradication efforts.  He 
defended Colombia's use of glyphosate, but said that the GOC 
would be open to compensate border residents if the 
tripartite committee found scientific evidence to support 
their claim. Araujo refused to comment on the recent visit by 
UN Rapporteur for Human Health Rights Paul Hunt, calling it 
an "Ecuadorian internal matter." (Reftel) 
 
Espinosa Positive on Meeting; Looks Forward 
 
¶3.  (U) Espinosa in a May 29 television interview called the 
meeting with Araujo "frank, open, and useful" in moving 
forward on issues of interest to Ecuador.  She welcomed the 
GOC's position on fumigations, and said that Araujo assured 
her that Colombia would submit its findings on the impact of 
aerial spraying at the July 8 tripartite committee meeting. 
Espinosa expressed GOE openness to collaborating with 
Colombia on unspecified Plan Ecuador initiatives, and 
discussed proposals to deepen cross-border refugee 
cooperation and Colombian prisoner transfers. 
 
¶4.  (C) Minister Coordinator for Internal and External 
Security Fernando Bustamante in a May 29 meeting with USAID 
Director and PolOff expressed GOE satisfaction with the 
Araujo visit.  Bustamante welcomed Colombia's offer to 
cooperate on Plan Ecuador initiatives, which his office 
coordinates, and stressed the need for the GOC to invest in 
development projects on the Colombian side of the border. 
 
Comment 
 
¶5.  (C) Colombia's unexpected announcement that it would 
compensate border residents if the tripartite committee found 
scientific evidence of environmental and health damage helps 
ease the pressure on bilateral relations from this issue, at 
least for now.  Araujo's first visit to Ecuador, in general, 
appears to have been very positive here, with good chemistry 
between the two FMs and positive press highlighting goodwill 
on both sides. 
JEWELL