VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #1713/01 1301757
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091757Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2698
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0388
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY LIMA 6191
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 1661
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 6843

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001713 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EPET EAID PGOV PREL CO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S VISIT TO ARAUCA, APRIL 29, 
2008 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The Ambassador traveled on April 29 to the 
oil-producing and historically conflict-plagued Department of 
Arauca (along the Venezuelan border) to meet with local 
political, security, and civil society representatives as 
well as to visit Occidental Petroleum's (Oxy) major 
production facility at Cano Limon.  Interlocutors emphasized 
the improved security situation and the  commitment among 
Araucan society to utilize local resources to benefit all 
residents.  In addition to touring Cano Limon, the Ambassador 
received a briefing from the local military commander and 
visited a joint vocational program in Arauca City funded by 
Occidental Petroleum, Ecopetrol, and the local government. 
He also traveled to the municipality of Arauquita to visit a 
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded 
community center providing local residents access to public 
services.  The visit received positive media coverage, 
highlighted USG and U.S. private sector assistance efforts, 
and underscored the improvement in conditions in Arauca.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
Officials Emphasize Interest in Continued USG Assistance 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Arauca Governor Freddy Forero, Arauca City Mayor 
William Reyes, Arauquita Mayor Jose Vargas, and Arauca Bishop 
Monsenor Carlos Mesa all accompanied the Ambassador 
throughout his visit to Arauca.  Each emphasized in their 
public statements and private comments the progress that 
Arauca has made as a result of President Uribe's "Democratic 
Security" policy as well as assistance from the USG on 
security.  Governor Forero reiterated at each stop his 
administration's interest in utilizing the Department's 
resources to improve living conditions and to working more 
closely with the USG on economic development to consolidate 
the Department's security gains. 
 
Security Improving, but Still a Challenge 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Brigadier General Jose Gonzalez briefed Ambassador 
Brownfield on progress on security in Arauca, highlighting 
the decrease in Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 
and National Liberation Army (ELN) attacks as well as the 
increase in desertions and guerrillas killed or captured. 
Gonzalez said his brigade had already captured 108 guerrillas 
in 2008 as compared to 167 for all of 2007.  He noted that 
GOC military gains against insurgent groups had translated 
directly into a drop in kidnappings and that the local 
population increasingly felt safe to travel on the 
Department's roads at night.  Gonzalez also pointed out the 
significant decrease in oil pipeline attacks from 170 in 2001 
to 10 in 2007 and the lack of an attack on the electrical 
distribution system in over three years. (Note: The night the 
Ambassador's delegation departed Arauca the Cano 
Limon-Covenas pipeline suffered its first sabotage attack of 
2008 in Norte de Santander Department.  Oxy officials 
consider the timing a coincidence. End Note.)  Gonzalez said 
fighting between the FARC and ELN remained a significant 
security challenge and threat to the local population as the 
two groups fought over drug smuggling routes and resources. 
 
Oil Production Outlook Positive 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Oxy Colombia President David Stangor accompanied the 
Ambassador on a tour of Oxy's Cano Limon oil production 
facility operated in partnership with state-owned 
hydrocarbons company Ecopetrol.  Stangor outlined the field's 
claim as Colombia's most important oil find to date and its 
continuing position as a supplier of 95,000 barrels of oil 
per day (bpd).  Since entering production in 1985, the field 
has produced over 1.2 billion barrels of oil, provided almost 
USD 2 billion in royalties to Colombia, and generated 2,300 
direct and indirect jobs.  Although the field's production 
has declined in recent years, Stangor told accompanying press 
that he expects to hold Cano Limon production steady and 
increase Oxy's overall production to 135,000 bpd by 2011 with 
increases from adjacent fields.  Oxy also briefed the 
Ambassador on its USD 4.7 million environmental program which 
includes an extensive cleaning system for the water used in 
pumping operations as well as reforestation of 680 hectares 
of land surrounding the field. 
 
Partnerships Promote Opportunity and Access to Services 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶5. (U) At Cano Limon the Ambassador also visited the El 
 
Alcaravan Foundation.  The Foundation's productive center was 
built with USAID assistance in 2006 and now receives support 
from Oxy, Ecopetrol, and the municipal government to provide 
vocational training and educational opportunities to the 
local community.   The Foundation assists 6,000 families 
living near Arauca city and Cano Limon with youth and adult 
education, job training, technical assistance to small 
businesses, social counseling, and youth recreation.  The 
Ambassador met with over 50 beneficiaries, toured stalls with 
examples of productive activities supported by the 
Foundation, and donated a library kit to the Foundation's 
literacy program. 
 
6, (U) The Ambassador concluded his visit to Arauca 
Department with a stop in the municipality of Arauquita, once 
unreachable to visiting delegations due to security concerns. 
 In Arauquita, the Ambassador toured the municipality's 
community center built with assistance from USAID to provide 
access to public services as well as early childhood 
education.  The center serves as a one-stop delivery point 
for government and social services such as citizen registry 
and family welfare programs.  Following a presentation of the 
center's activities, beneficiaries provided testimonials on 
the impact of having regular access to public services for 
the first time in Arauquita's history.  The Ambassador 
concluded the event by donating a library kit to the center's 
Early Childhood Learning Program. 
 
Positive Press Coverage 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Traveling press from Reuters, Semana (a leading 
centrist weekly news magazine with a circulation of 928,000), 
Portafolio (a leading business daily reaching 53,300 
readers), and El Espectador (a weekly newspaper converting to 
a daily format read by 668,000 people) accompanied the 
Ambassador throughout the day.  The visit received positive 
coverage from both the traveling and local Araucan media, 
with stories filed by Reuters and El Tiempo the following 
news day.  We expect Semana and El Espectador to publish in 
the coming days.  Coverage focused on the Ambassador's 
positive message that his visit to the area was evidence 
Arauca Department has made significant progress in 
establishing security and that the improvements permitted USG 
security funds to shift from pipeline protection to other 
areas identified by the GOC. 
BROWNFIELD