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DE RUEHBO #1320/01 1002124
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 092124Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2305
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0216
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR 9358
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 6083
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 6742

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001320 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USTR/EISSENSTAT/CARRILLO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ELAB ETRD KJUS OVIP PGOV PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: USTR SCHWAB AND CODEL'S APRIL 6 MEETING WITH 
PRESIDENT URIBE 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
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1.(SBU) In an April 6 breakfast meeting with U.S. Trade 
Representative Susan C. Schwab and an accompanying 
congressional delegation, President Uribe outlined Colombia's 
progress in combating labor violence and stated that passage 
of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) will 
improve conditions for union members.  He defended the 
military operation in Ecuador against Revolutionary Armed 
Forces of Colombia (FARC) Commander Raul Reyes, emphasizing 
that prudence is required in managing the information 
contained on Reyes' laptop and in managing relations with his 
neighbors.  Uribe insisted that there is no longer an 
organized para-military movement, and denied that the GOC has 
played any role in threats against those who participated in 
the March 6 anti-violence march. The President underscored 
Colombia's commitment to protecting the environment, assuring 
that its biofuels program does not endanger native forests or 
food security.   END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
------------ 
PQQkC9uinted to continued progress on labor 
violence.  There were 36 reported cases of labor violence 
last year out of a union population of 1.25 million.  To date 
this year there have been 17 cases.  The GOC has doubled the 
administrative judicial budget during the Uribe 
administration despite a fiscal deficit, and added two 
thousand new prosecutors.  There were 98 sentences last year 
against perpetrators of homicides against labor union 
members, with 116 convictions and 112 criminals already in 
jail. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Worker conditions have improved during his tenure, 
Uribe insisted.  The minimum wage has outstripped inflation, 
and new legislation presently before Congress will correct 
distortions in the utilization of worker cooperatives and 
shQs'r)Q  There is 
no doubt that the CTPA will improve conditions for the 
Colombian worker, Uribe concluded.  Export sector jobs are in 
the formal sector, enjoy higher wages and full benefits. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Congressman Johnson expressed concern that 
 
statements from a GOC official about the March 6 peace march 
being organized by the FARC had opened the door for armed 
groups to threaten and kill participants.  The President 
noted that for his democratic security policy to be credible, 
it had to be transparent and respect human rights.  With 
respect to the 6 reported murders of labor organizers since 
the march, he explained that to date the police have 
established no linkages between the crimes and the march. 
Should such a link emerge, Uribe promised a thorough 
investigation.  He reminded the delegation that under his 
watch 27 members of the Colombian Congress -- many of whom 
were Uribe supporters -- were now behind bars.  He pointed to 
the indictment and imprisonment of members of the armed 
forces for human rights violations as evidence that such 
charges are taken seriously in Colombia.  There is no 
allegation of human rights violations, Uribe concluded, that 
his administration is not actively pursuing. 
 
------------------ 
THE REYES INCIDENT 
------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) Congressman Freilinghuysen thanked the President for 
remaining strong in the face of Venezuelan President Chavez's 
threat to security and stability in the region.  Uribe 
defended the attack across Ecuador's border that claimed the 
life of FARC Secretariat member Raul Reyes.  He reminded the 
delegation that Reyes had been a main obstacle to peace 
during the negotiations with former President Pastrana as 
well as during the present conversations over a humanitarian 
exchange.  The FARC was launching attacks against Colombian 
citizens and soldiers from Ecuadorian territory, and the GOC 
had no choice but to respond.  He emphasized that the 
operation was carefully designed to avoid risks to civilians. 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Uribe noted that he needed to be prudent when 
commenting on relations with Presidents Chavez and Correa; 
Colombia has a strong interest in preserving quality 
relations with its neighbors.  He explained that Interpol was 
pesently verifying that the Reyes computer had not been 
tampered with by Colombian authorities, and he expects their 
certification within two weeks.  The GOC has delivered copies 
of relevant Reyes computer documents to the governments of 
Ecuador and Venezuela, and have not made any public.  Uribe 
stated that Colombia will refrain from conducting any 
operations in neighboring territory as long as those 
countries do not harbor Colombian terrorist groups. 
 
 
--------------- 
RE-ARMED GROUPS 
--------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Congressman Reichert queried Uribe about his 
reintegration policy and reports of re-armed paramilitary 
organizations.  Uribe explained that under his administration 
the state had recovered the monopoly over combating illegal 
groups.  There no longer are paramilitary organizations, he 
argued, rather newly formed groups of common criminals.  Of 
the 30,000 demobilized paramilitary combatants, there is a 
recidivism rate of 5-6%.  Of the resurgent groups of drug 
traffickers and common criminals, only 1% of the members are 
demobilized paramilitaries. 
 
-------------------------------- 
THE ENVIRONMENT AND SMALL FARMER 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (U) Congressman English noted that the CTPA contained the 
strongest environmental provisions ever negotiated in a trade 
accord.  He asked Uribe about the environmental policies of 
his administration and the commitment to comply with 
international standards.  The President expressed pride over 
Colombia's environmental regulatory system, which he called 
one of the strictest in the hemisphere.  Fifty-one percent of 
the country consists of rainforest and jungle, he explained, 
and preservation of these resources is an administration 
priority.  One of the greatest threats to the native forest, 
Uribe contended, is drug trafficking, which is responsible 
for the destruction of 2 million acres per year. 
 
¶10. (U) The GOC biofuels policy, according to Uribe, is 
geared toward respect for the environment and preservation of 
food security.  It is GOC policy not to touch any native 
forest to plant biofuels crops.  Instead, they will rely upon 
the 17 million acres of grasslands and abandoned agricultural 
 
pastures to support the increased sugar cane and African palm 
production necessary to support their biofuels strategy. 
 
¶11. (U) Congressman Johnson wondered about the CTPA's impact 
on the Colombian small farmer, and whether increased 
competition from the U.S. could drive them toward coca 
production.  Uribe discounted that likelihood, noting that, 
as a tropical country, Colombia is not competitive in most 
grain production, and that high world commodity prices would 
serve as a buffer.  Instead, he argued that the CTPA would 
encourage greater production in crops where Colombia had a 
comparative advantage such as coffee, cacao, palm, and 
forestry products. 
 
¶12. (U) USTR Schwab has cleared this message. 
BROWNFIELD