id: 144921 date: 3/7/2008 21:45 refid: 08MANAGUA281 origin: Embassy Managua classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: header: VZCZCXRO9173 OO RUEHLMC DE RUEHMU #0281/01 0672145 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 072145Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2217 INFO RUEHMU/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//J2/J3/J5// IMMEDIATE ----------------- header ends ---------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 000281 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR USOAS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/FO, WHA/AND DEPT FOR INR - EMERSON SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR FPA NSC FOR FISK AND ALVARADO BOGOTA FOR POL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2018 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, CO, NU SUBJECT: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE: DISCUSSION WITH COLOMBIA'S PNG'D AMBASSADOR TO NICARAGUA Classified By: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli for reasons 1.4 b,d. Colombia's Ambassador to Nicaragua (for four more days) ------------------- 1. (C) We met this morning with Colombian Ambassador to Nicaragua, Antonio Gonzalez Castano to discuss the events of the last 24 hours, including President Ortega's surprise announcement to break relations with Colombia. The newly-PNG'd Castano was in good spirits but clearly concerned by the unpleasant turn of events. He said earlier this morning FM Santos had passed a letter formally breaking relations and attaching three conditions to any re-establishment of relations. These were that Colombia: (1) acknowledge the (Nicaraguan interpretation of the) ICJ decision in December regarding the maritime border at the 82nd parallel; (2) promise not to violate the sovereignty of another Latin nations; and (3) basically, apologize for Colombia's recent arrogant attitude. Gonzalez said he had been instructed to close his Embassy and return to Bogota (he will depart next Wednesday). There is no consulate, so all official bilateral functions will stop. Peru will act as protecting power for Colombia in Managua. (A couple of admin personnel will stay on for a short time to bring contracts and other affairs to an end.) This Rupture Could Last a While ---------------- 2. (C) Gonzalez said there was little short-term political cost to Ortega given that Managua currently has only a charge in Bogota, having recalled their Ambassador in December after the ICJ decision. His understanding is that the Nicaraguan Mission in Bogota will close and Panama will act as protecting power for Managua. (NOTE: The closures will affect some travel as Colombians require visas to enter Nicaragua.) When asked his view of how long the break would last, without hesitation, Gonzalez responded that Colombia would never concede to Nicaragua's first demand. He added that Bogota was still astounded at NicaraguA=&QQ\ns. How did we get here? -------------- 3. (C) The Ambassador asked Gonzalez for his opinion about how we had arrived at the current situation, noting that during a face-to-face meeting earlier this week Ortega had seemed quite moderate and unemotional about the situation. Gonzalez responded that President Correa's vitriolic statement early in the week was his first indication that things would escalate. Gonzalez asserted that Ortega had been waiting for an excuse to ratchet-up his months-long saber-rattling against President Uribe, and recalled that Ortega's statements during the Caracas ALBA Summit had included a warning to Colombia that "to attack Venezuela (or Nicaragua) was to attack all of Latin America." Gonzalez added that his government is very concerned by what they see as a calculated, coordinated effort by Chavez and his acolytes to "close the circle on Colombia." He said that Chavez has already succeeded in destabilizing the Hemisphere, not militarily, but politically. What Caused such an Allergic Reaction? -------------- 4. (C) Gonzalez said that the Uribe Administration had been taken aback by the intensely negative reaction, but Gonzalez wryly observed that both Venezuelan President Chavez and Ecuadorian President Correa did not launch their invectives until they realized that laptop and other items recovered MANAGUA 00000281 002 OF 002 from the attack might contained damaging evidence that both men's contacts with the FARC had been more than "humanitarian discussions to release hostages." Gonzalez said that Colombian intelligence entities were examining the laptop and other materials, and while he did not have first-hand knowledge of the contents, said that early indications seemed to reaffirm President Uribe's public statements that Chavez had provided financial support to the FARC. (NOTE: We have seen public reports that Chavez has provided at least $300 million in cash to the FARC, that Correa had substantial contacts with the FARC and that there is an, as yet, unclear connection between Nicaragua and the Venezuela assistance. END NOTE.) TRIVELLI =======================CABLE ENDS============================