VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #1281 0991159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081159Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2274
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0190
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR 9353
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 6072
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 1468
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 6726
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 4363
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDTA/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1909

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001281 

SIPDIS 

SIPDIS 

E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR CO
SUBJECT: SANTOS DEFENDS REYES OPERATION IN CONGRESS 

¶1.  Summary:  On April 2, Minister of Defense Juan Manuel 
Santos testified to the House Plenary Commission in Congress 
on the Raul Reyes' operation and relations with Ecuador 
following the attack.  Santos, along with Foreign Minister 
Fernando Araujo, reviewed GOC efforts to work with the 
Ecuadorians to combat the FARC prior to the operation, 
documenting Ecuador's lack of response to repeated GOC 
warnings of FARC activity in its neighbor's territory. 
Opposition Polo Democratico and the Liberal party criticized 
the GOC for allegedly deceiving the Colombian people about 
the operations.  Santos said the GOC would reward individuals 
who provide intelligence on the location of FARC camps.  End 
Summary.

¶2.  Defense Minister Santos testified at the Colombian 
Congress on April 2 on the March 1 Colombian military 
operation against FARC Secretariat member Raul Reyes in 
Ecuadorian territory.  Santos explained that the operation 
complied with international law as well as with the Colombian 
Constitution.  He described a surgical operation planned by 
Colombia's armed forces and undertaken with the knowledge 
that there was little civilian presence in the area.  Santos 
said the GOC learned of Reyes' location via an informant and 
not as previously reported through satellite imagery, cell 
phone use or a satellite phone call from Venezuelan President 
Chavez or the French government to Reyes.  Opposition Polo 
Democratico Representative Wilson Borja claimed the GOC had 
lied about the operation's details and should be held 
responsible.  Santos defended the operation claiming, "we do 
not counter illegal activity with more illegal activity." 

¶3.  Liberal Representative Guillermo Rivera raised concerns 
over Colombia's bilateral ties with Ecuador and cautioned the 
GOC to manage relations with a "cool head."  Foreign Minister 
Araujo said the blame for the diplomatic crisis lay with both 
countries.  Still, he  explained that the GOC had repeatedly 
requested GOE action--as well as political, military, 
judicial, and intelligence cooperation--since mid-2007 to 
combat the FARC presence in Ecuador, but to no avail.  Araujo
added that following the resolution of the current crisis in 
the OAS, GOC will continue to appeal to the GOE for help in 
combating a common terrorist threat. 

¶4.  Santos reiterated on April 4 that information on the 
whereabouts of Reyes camp was provided through human 
intelligence.  The GOC would reward the individuals involved. 
 On April 4, the key informant who provided the GOC details 
on Reyes' whereabouts received 5 billion Colombian pesos 
(approximately $2.7 million) in compensation.  To date, this 
is the largest amount paid to an individual who provided 
information on the whereabouts of a FARC member.  The 
informant and his family are under protection of the GOC and 
plan to leave the country in the near future. 
BROWNFIELD