Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 Message Text SECRET PAGE 01 BOGOTA 04602 191654Z ACTION NODS-00 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 001 W ------------------191657Z 087919 42 O 191436Z MAY 77 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 1598 S E C R E T BOGOTA 4602 NODIS E O 11652 GDS TAGS OVIP MRS CARTER SUBJECT VISIT OF MRS CARTER TO COLOMBIA SUMMARY PRESIDENT LOPEZ HAS UNFORTUNATELY DECIDED TO DO NO MORE THAN BARE MINIMUM NECESSARY IN HOSTING VISIT OF MRS CARTER THIS IS NO DOUBT A CALCULATED MOVE LARGELY PROMPTED BY HIS RESENTMENT OVER NOMINATION OF NEW U S AMBASSADOR IT DISPLAYS WORST SIDE OF LOPEZ' CHARACTER AND TAKE SOME OF THE SHINE OFF THE VISIT NONETHELESS I THINK THERE ARE COMPELLING REASONS FOR CARRYING ON WITH THE TRIP TO BOGOTA PARTICULARLY IN ORDER TO REALIZE VISIT'S POTENTIAL FOR REBUILDING OUR RELATIONS LOPEZ HAS HIS FAULTS AND PREJUDICES BUT THEY HAVE BEEN WELL KNOWN FOR SOME TIME AND I BETIEVE WE SHOULD NOT GIVE UP TRYING TO ESTABLISH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING WITH A MAN WHO PRESIDES WITH DEDICATION OVER A FUNCTIONING LATIN AMERICAN DEMOCRACY END SUMMARY 1 I HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR PAST SEVERAL WEEKS TO GET GOC TO SET THE EXACT TIME FOR THE MEETING PRESIDENT LOPEZ HAS AGREED TO HAVE WITH MRS CARTER AND ALSO TO HAVE THEM CONFIRM THE SOCIAL EVENT WE WERE TOLD WOULD BE GIVEN IN MRS CARTER'S HONOR IN VIEW OF THE TIMING OF THE VISIT AMONG OHER FACTORS I HAD ASSUMED THAT LOPEZ WOULD BE GIVING A DINNER THE EVENING OF JUNE 9 THIS WOULD BE STANDARD AND ALSO EXPECTED BY THE COLOMBIAN PUBLIC WE PRESSED ESPECIALLY HARD TO HAVE THESE MATTERS PINNED DOWN BEFORE SECRET SECRET PAGE 02 BOGOTA 04602 191654Z THE ARRIVAL OF THE ADVANCE PARTY YESTERDAY BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS VERY LATE YESTERDAY CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AMBASSADOR TORRES PHONED POLITICAL COUNSELOR TO SAY MATTER-OF-FACTLY THAT A CUP OF CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION WOULD BE HELD FOR MRS CARTER AT 6 30 PM ON JUNE 9 PRESUMABLY AT THE PALACE POL COUNSELOR ASKED IF HE WAS CORRECT IN UNDERSTANDING THAT NO DINNER WOULD BE GIVEN IN MRS CARTER'S HONOR AND TORRES REPLIED THAT THAT WAS TRUE Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 IN RESPONSE TO A FURTHER QUESTION TORRES ADDED THAT WE COULD CONSIDER OURSELVES FREE TO MAKE OUR OWN DINNER ARRANGEMENTS FOR MRS CARTER AND HER PARTY HE WENT ON TO REMIND US THAT JUNE 9 WAS A RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY AND THAT THEREFORE THE PALACE WOULD BE EMPTY THAT DAY 2 TORRES WAS STILL UNABLE TO SET EXACT TIME FOR THE MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT BUT SAID THAT IT WOULD TAKE PLACE THE FOLLOWING MORNING JUNE 10TH HE ALSO INFORMED US THAT MRS LOPEZ THE WIFE OF THE PRESIDENT WOULD WELCOME MRS CARTER AT THE AIRPORT AND THAT THE CUP OF CHAMPAGNE WOULD BE FOR LADIES ONLY I E THE PRESIDENT WOULD NOT BE PRESENT 3 COMMENT TORRES HAS NO PERSONAL AUTHORITY IN MATTERS OF THIS SORT AND THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT HIS REMARKS ARE BASED ON DECISIONS AND ATTITUDES ADOPTED BY PRESIDENT LOPEZ PERSONALLY AS REPORTED IN BOGOTA 4540 WE HAD NOTICED EARLIER SOME SIGNS OF COOLNESS BUT FRANKLY WE WERE NOT PREPARED FOR LOPEZ' DECISION TO DO NO MORE THAT BARE PROTOCOLARY MINIMUM IN HOSTING MRS CARTER'S VISIT MOREOVER THE LADIES-ONLY SOCIAL EVENT LIKE DECISION TO HAVE MRS LOPEZ GO TO THE AIRPORT APPARENTLY REFLECTS PRESIDENT'S IDEA THAT THIS VISIT IS TO BE TREATED OUTWARDLY AT LEAST AS A WIVES' AFFAIR DESPITE OUR EMPHASIS ON ITS SUBSTANTIVE PURPOSE 4 MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE REGRETABLY UNANIMOUS IN INTERPRETING ALL THIS AS A CALCULATED SLIGHT BY PRESIDENT LOPEZ AND WE ALSO BELIEVE IT WILL BE PERCEIVED THAT WAY WITHIN THE COLOMBIAN ESTABLISHMENT IN SUCH A MOOD THE PRESIDENT CHARACTERISSECRET SECRET PAGE 03 BOGOTA 04602 191654Z TICALLY WOULD NOT BE DETERRED BY LIKELIHOOD THAT MRS CARTER'S RECEPTION HERE WILL STAND OUT AS LESS WARM THAN IN OTHER HOST COUNTRIES INDEED HE MAY REGARD THIS CONTRAST AS SERVING HIS PURPOSES LATTER COULD INCLUDE REGISTERING DISPLEASURE OVER FACT THAT PRESIDENT CARTER HIMSELF IS NOT COMING TO COLOMBIA HOWEVER I BELIEVE LOPEZ IS MAINLY PROMPTED BY HIS RESENTMENT OVER THE NOMINATION OF THE NEW U S AMBASSADOR TO COLOMBIA REPORTED EARLIER HE IS BEING SUSTAINED AND ENCOURAGED IN THAT ATTITUDE BY PRESS AND PUBLIC COMMENTS ARISING FROM THE LEAK CARRIED ON THE WIRE SERVICES IT WOULD ALSO BE IN CHARACTER FOR HIM AND HIS FOREIGN MINISTER TO FEEL THAT THE LEAK WAS DELIBERATELY AIMED AT THEM 5 WE DISCUSSED WITH THE ADVANCE PARTY YESTERDAY HOW BEST TO REACT TO THESE DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING MRS CARTER'S TRIP QUESTION CAME UP WHETHER WASHINGTON SHOULD CONSIDER CANCELLING THE VISIT TO BOGOTA BUT I AND MY STAFF BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE UNWARRANTED AND AN OVER-REACTION WE ADVISE INSTEAD FOCUSING ON THE IMPORTANT POSITIVE FACTORS THAT STILL SURROUND THE TRIP TO BOGOTA THE MEETING Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 WITH PRESIDENT LOPEZ REMAINS ON THE AGENDA IT HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF THE TRIP ALL ALONG AND MRS CARTER CAN STILL EXPECT TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIVE AND FRIENDLY DISCUSSION WITH HIM ADDED CARE HOWEVER SHOULD BE TAKEN IN HANDLING THE NARCOTICS CORRUPTION ISSUE IF IT HAS TO BE RAISED AND I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER NOT TO RAISE IT NOW MOREOVER KNOWING MRS CARTER'S ABILITIES I THINK THERE IS AN EXCELLENT CHANCE THAT THEIR CONVERSATION COULD IMPROVE THE ATMOSPHERE AND START US TOWARDS A REBUILDING OF OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS MRS LOPEZ WHO CAN BE COUNTED UPON TO BE GRACIOUS WILL ALSO BE OF HELP IN THIS DIRECTION THERE IS EVERY REASON TO EXPECT THAT COLOMBIAN PRESS COVERAGE OF THE VISIT WILL BE HEAVY COURTEOUS AND POSITIVE AS FOR THE ACCOMPANYING US PRESS CORPS THE FACT THAT JUNE 9 IS A HOLIDAY AND THAT BOGOTA IS NOTORIOUR FOR BEING RESERVED STUFFY COMMUNITY WILL HELP EXPLAIN AWAY ANY LOW-KEYED ASPECTS PERSECRET SECRET PAGE 04 BOGOTA 04602 191654Z CEIVED IN THE RECEPTION FERE 6 WE ALSO DISCUSSED WITH THE ADVANCE PARTY THE POSSIBILITY OF MRS CARTER'S HOSTING A DINNER OR RECEPTION AT THE RESIDENCE THE EVENING OF JUNE 9 I RECOMMEND THAT THIS BE CONSIDERED IN WASHINGTON INCLUDING POSSIBLITY OF INVITING PRESIDENT AND MRS LOPEZ EVEN IF THEY EXCUSED THEMSELVES WE COULD STILL PUT TOGETHER A STIMULATING AND NEWS-WORTHY GROUP OF LARGELY COLOMBIAN GUESTS AND THEREBY ADD ANOTHER POSITIVE FEATURE TO THE VISIT DREXLER SECRET NNN Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 Message Attributes Automatic Decaptioning X Capture Date 01-Jan-1994 12 00 00 am Channel Indicators n a Current Classification UNCLASSIFIED Concepts VISITS MEETINGS SOCIAL RECEPTIONS CAT-B Control Number n a Copy SINGLE Sent Date 19-May-1977 12 00 00 am Decaption Date 01-Jan-1960 12 00 00 am Decaption Note Disposition Action RELEASED Disposition Approved on Date Disposition Case Number n a Disposition Comment 25 YEAR REVIEW Disposition Date 22 May 2009 Disposition Event Disposition History n a Disposition Reason Disposition Remarks Document Number 1977BOGOTA04602 Document Source CORE Document Unique ID 00 Drafter n a Enclosure n a Executive Order GS Errors N A Expiration Film Number P840086-0776 N770003-0427 Format TEL From BOGOTA Handling Restrictions n a Image Path ISecure 1 Legacy Key link1977 newtext t19770541 aaaabium tel Line Count 150 Litigation Code IDs Litigation Codes Litigation History Locator TEXT ON-LINE ON MICROFILM Message ID 35465e90-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc Office ACTION NODS Original Classification SECRET Original Handling Restrictions n a Original Previous Classification n a Original Previous Handling Restrictions NODIS Page Count 3 Previous Channel Indicators n a Previous Classification SECRET Previous Handling Restrictions NODIS Reference n a Retention 0 Review Action RELEASED APPROVED Review Content Flags Review Date 11-Jan-2005 12 00 00 am Review Event Review Exemptions n a Review Media Identifier Review Release Date n a Review Release Event n a Review Transfer Date Review Withdrawn Fields n a SAS ID 2459513 Secure OPEN Status NATIVE Subject VISIT OF MRS CARTER TO COLOMBIA TAGS OVIP PFOR CO US CARTER ROSALYNN LOPEZ MICHELSEN ALFONSO To STATE Type TE vdkvgwkey odbc SAS SAS dbo SAS_Docs 35465e90-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc Review Markings Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 Markings Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009