ID | 08PARIS149 |
SUBJECT | MFA AND PRESIDENCY VIEWS ON COLOMBIAN HOSTAGE |
DATE | 2008-01-29 13:01:00 |
CLASSIFICATION | CONFIDENTIAL |
ORIGIN | Embassy Paris |
TEXT | id: 139121 date: 1/29/2008 13:17 refid: 08PARIS149 origin: Embassy Paris classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: header: VZCZCXRO3911 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHFR #0149/01 0291317 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 291317Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1812 INFO RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 2056 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0470 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 2010 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1499 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0540 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 2762 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0079 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0045 —————– header ends —————- C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000149 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2018 REF: 08 BOGOTA 00267 Classified By: POL M/C Josiah Rosenblatt for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: MFA A/S for the Americas Daniel Parfait described an uncertain way forward to secure the release of FARC hostages following the January 21 visit of Colombian President Uribe to France. While a determined President Sarkozy continues to press the MFA for proposals to obtain Ingrid Betancourt’s release, MFA specialists perceive a negotiated solution in large measure subject to the whims of an unpredictable FARC that is focused on self-preservation and continuing the drug trade. During his one-day visit, Uribe met with Sarkozy and Ingrid Betancourt’s family. Uribe asked Sarkozy to support the Catholic Church’s mediation and thanked the GOF for continuing to support keeping the FARC on the EU terrorist list. Uribe also asked France, Spain and Switzerland to restart a European dialogue with the FARC; however, Parfait expressed doubt these discussions would be productive given their failure two years ago. Parfait remains unsure of the best course of action to secure the release of the hostages, but does credit Hugo Chavez for securing the release of Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez as well as obtaining “proof of life” for Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages, the two achievements on the hostage front in recent years. END SUMMARY HOSTAGES: URIBE’S PROPOSALS – SARKOZY PRESSES FOR A STRATEGY ¶2. (C) Daniel Parfait, A/S-equivalent for the Americas, met EUR/WE Office Director Kathy Allegrone and Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt on January 24. Parfait credited Hugo Chavez with the November 30 “proof of life” and the January 10 release of Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez. When asked about next steps, Parfait said France supports Uribe’s proposal for the Catholic Church to act as a negotiator. He also noted that Uribe supports the resumption of the SWISS, Spanish, French mediation effort, but he is not optimistic that the unpredictable FARC will accept the proposal. Damien Loras, Americas’ Counselor to President Sarkozy told us on January 24 that the French are wary of ¶3. (C) While he had limited detail on the Uribe visit, Parfait described Hugo Chavez’s proposal to remove the FARC from international terrorist lists as a “surprise.” After suffering international embarrassment when the EU flatly rejected the idea, Chavez privately walked back his suggestion and explained to Parfait during a January 13-14 VENEZUELA CUBA Please visit Paris’ Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.cfm PEKALA =======================CABLE ENDS============================ |
HEADER | VZCZCXRO3911 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHFR #0149/01 0291317 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 291317Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1812 INFO RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 2056 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0470 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 2010 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 1499 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0540 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 2762 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0079 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0045 XTAGS: XTAGPREL, XTAGPTER, XTAGPHUM, XTAGFR, XTAGCO, XTAGVZ, XTAGSP, XTAGSZ, XTAGVT 08PARIS149 |
TAGS | PREL PTER PHUM FR CO VZ SP SZ VT |
ADDED | 2011-04-29 00:12:00 |
STAMP | 2011-04-30 15:37:40 |
VOTE_POINTS | 0 |
VOTE_COUNT | 0 |
VOTE_RATING | 0 |
PRIORITY | PP |
TWEETS | 0 |
MANUAL | N |
SITELINK | |
ISNEW | N |
FINGERPRINT1 | 9443831bea8191f6d875f4c114a328c6 |
http://www.wikipedia.ch/cable/2008/01/08PARIS149.html