| ID: | 145508 |
| Date: | 2008-03-12 18:56:00 |
| Origin: | 08PARIS460 |
| Source: | Embassy Paris |
| Classification: | CONFIDENTIAL |
| Dunno: | |
| Destination: | VZCZCXRO3115 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHFR #0460 0721856 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121856Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2244 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0472 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0542 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 0490 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0047 |
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000460 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2018 TAGS: PTER, PREL, FR, CO SUBJECT: BETANCOURT HOSTAGE SITUATION RENDERS "POOR" OTHERWISE STRONG FRANCO-COLOMBIAN RELATIONS Classified By: POL/MC Josiah Rosenblatt for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 1. (C) On March 6, Colombian Ambassador to France Fernando Cepeda Ulloa described Franco-Colombian relations as "poor" in a breakfast meeting with Ambassador Stapleton and WHA PDAS Craig Kelly. Cepeda encapsulated the current distrust between the two governments by suggesting that the GOF considers Colombia a banana republic that takes policy direction from the United States. He complained that the GOF coordinates public messaging with Franco-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt's family in a way that undermines President Uribe. 2. (C) Cepeda recalled that under Chirac he felt only limited pressure concerning Betancourt. Chirac simply urged Cepeda to tell President Uribe that "a military solution is not the best option." There was little movement on the issue until Sarkozy took office in May 2007. Since then, Franco-Colombian relations have essentially been compressed to this single issue, according to Cepeda, who is reportedly close to President Uribe. He attributed President Sarkozy's single-minded focus on securing Betancourt's freedom to a personal enmity towards former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and the desire to prove Sarkozy could accomplish what Villepin could not. He described the Betancourt family efforts to publicize Ingrid's detention as a textbook media success and a textbook disaster to achieving her freedom. Despite his claim of "poor" overall relations, Cepeda did note that Franco-Colombian relations were positive with fruitful cultural exchanges, and welcome trade and investment flows. There is also good bilateral counter-narcotics cooperation. 3. (C) COMMENT: Sarkozy's personal involvement in the FARC hostage case may have contributed to securing the release of some lower-profile hostages while perversely raising Ingrid Betancourt,s value to the FARC as a hostage. A desire to best his rival de Villepin, who failed after expending tremendous effort to win Betancourt's freedom, may have triggered Sarkozy's intervention. However, Betancourt,s long-standing public profile in France predates Sarkozy's presidency and release would have naturally appealed to Sarkozy as a challenge and as a demonstration of his ability to apply his will and bring results. Despite positive fundamentals in the Franco-Colombian relationship, this hostage situation negatively colors what should be a good news story between France and Colombia. 4. (U) This message has been cleared by PDAS Kelly. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON |
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