VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0688 2072116
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 252116Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3525
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 2072
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0379
RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA PRIORITY 0122

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTIAGO 000688 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2018 
TAGS: PTER SNAR PGOV PREL CI CO BR NU
SUBJECT: CHILE SUPPORTS COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT IN FARC 
STRUGGLE 
 
REF: STATE 77205 
 
Classified By: E/Pol Counselor Juan Alsace for reason 1.4 (b). 
 
¶1.  (C) E/Pol Counselor, accompanied by E/Pol Officer, 
delivered reftel demarche points to Carlos Charme, Deputy 
Director of the MFA's Office for South American Affairs. 
Charme was joined by Enrique Barriga, Desk Officer for 
Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela.  E/Pol Counselor stressed 
that it is critical for Chile and others of Colombia's 
continental neighbors to keep the pressure up on the FARC, 
including by approaches to Chavez. 
 
¶2.  (C) Charme and Barriga replied that several regional 
statements--including a Rio Group resolution and an UNASUR 
consensus document--already demonstrate regional support for 
the Colombian government.  Barriga noted approvingly that 
President Lula of Brazil has become more positive towards the 
Colombian government, but said that Nicaraguan President 
Ortega had recently denounced the Colombian Ambassador over 
the on-going struggle with the FARC.  Both emphasized that 
Chile would continue to work through regional organizations 
to build consensus in isolating the FARC, although Chile 
would not likely issue unilateral statements. 
SIMONS