Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 22 May 2009 Message Text SECRET PAGE 01 BOGOTA 05899 01 OF 02 242119Z ACTION ARA-14 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SNM-02 SS-15 NSC-05 INR-07 044 W ------------------080338 242142Z 73 P 242004Z JUN 77 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2269 S E C R E T SECTION 1 OF 2 BOGOTA 5899 E O 11652 XGDS-2 TAGS SNAR CO SUBJECT BOURNE-FALCO MEETING WITH PRESIDENT LOPEZ REF BOGOTA 5809 1 IN ACCORDANCE FINAL PARA REFTEL FOLLOWING IS DETAILED MEMORANDUM OF THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN PRESIDENT LOPEZ AND DR PETER BOURNE AND MS MATHEA FALCO WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE PREISIDENTIAL PALACE IN BOGOTA ON JUNE 22 ALSO IN ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING WERE THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE THE CHARGE AND THE NARCOR THIS MEMORANDUM HAS NOT BEEN CLEARED WITH DR BOURNE AND MS FALCO 2 FOLLOWING THE INITIAL EXCHANGE OF PLEASANTRIES DR BOURNE HANDED PRESIDENT LOPEZ A PERSONAL LETTER FROM PRESIDENT CARTER WHICH LOPEZ IMMEDIATELY OPENED AND READ HE THEN EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION TO PRESIDENT CARTER AND SAID THE IDEAS IN THE LETTER WERE CONSTRUCTIVE HOWEVER THERE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONSTRUCTIVE IDEAS IN THE NARCOTICS FIELD BUT THEY HAD COME TO NOTHING HE HAD WANTED A PROGRAM SMILIAR TO THE ONE IN MEXICO BUT THAT HAD BEEN SCALED DOWN TO ONLY THREE HELICOPTERS AND OBSTACLES RAISED BY BOTH THE COLOMBIAN AND US SIDES CONTINUED TO INTERFERE WITH THEIR DELIVERY HE CITED THE PROBLEM OF GOC QUOTE RED TAPE UNQUOTE IN COMBATTING NARCOTICS AND NOTED PRESIDENT CARTER'S ADVOCACY OF HUMAN RIGHTS IF COLOMBIA WERE A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP SECRET SECRET PAGE 02 BOGOTA 05899 01 OF 02 242119Z ACTION COULD BE FASTER BUT COLOMBIA CANNOT MOVE AS EASILY AS A COUNTRY WHERE THERE IS NO RULE OF LAW 3 BOURNE RESPONDED THAT THE US VIEWS NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING AS A SHARED PROBLEM AND PRESIDENT CARTER WANTED THE GOC TO KNOW THE HIGH PRIORITY HE PLACES ON THIS ISSUE TO FOCUS THE ATTENTION OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS THE US PROPOSES 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 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HIGH LEVEL COMMISSION TO WORK OUT PROBLEMS SUCH AS IN THE DELAY WITH THE HELICOPTERS THE COMMISSION COULD DISCUSS OTHER STEPS TO BE TAKEN SUCH AS THE SPRAYING OF MARIJUANA FIELDS IN COLOMBIA 4 LOPEZ ASKED AT WHAT LEVEL THE US PROPOSED THE COMMISSION BE AND WHEN BOURNE REPLIED AT THE FOREIGM MINISTER LEVEL LOPEZ SAID HE WOULD INSTRUCT FOREIGN MINISTER LIEVANO WHO WQS FLYING TO NEW YORK TO CONSULT ON THIS SUBJECT WITH SECRETARY VANCE IN WASHINGTON BOURNE RESPONDED THAT IF ANY DIFFICULTIES AROSE IN THIS CONNECTION PRESIDENT CARTER WOULD TAKE CARE OF THEM 5 MS FALCO STATED THAT PRESIDENT CARTER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT INVOLVEMENT OF AMERICAN CITIZENS IN TRAFFICKING IN COLOMBIA AND HE WOULD BE PLEASED TO SHARE INFORMATION ON THEM WITH THE GOC A HIGH LEVEL COMMISSION COULD HELP IN THIS PROCESS 6 DR BOURNE THEN CALLED ATTENTION TO THE INVOLVEMENT OF PERSONS AT HIGH LEVELS IN THE GOC IN TRAFFICKING HE SAID PRESIDENT CARTER HAS A LIST OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS AND HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ARRANGE A PRIVATE BRIEFING FOUR LOPEZ ALONE LOPEZ EMPHATICALLY INTERJECTED GOOD BOURNE CONTINUED THAT THE INFORMATION IS SENSTITIVE AND ITS QUALITY VARIES SO THAT LOPEZ HIMSELF COULD JUDGE THE EVIDENCE A SECRET SECRET PAGE 03 BOGOTA 05899 01 OF 02 242119Z BRIEFING BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IN WASHINGTON COULD BE SET UP 7 LOPEZ SAID COLOMBIAN INTELLIGENCE INDICATES NOT VERY HIGH LEVEL INVOLVEMENT IN TRAFFICKING HOWEVER IN SANTA MARTA THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED BOURNE REPLIED THAT THE US WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND THROUGH THE PROPOSED COMMISSION THERE COULD ALSO BE ASSISTANCE IN UPGRADING THE COLOMBIAN INTELLIGENCE EFFORT 8 LOPEZ THEN CALLED ATTENTION TO THE QUOTE BIG MONEY UNQUOTE FROM THE US WHICH FINANCES THE TRAFFICKING PREVIOUSLY THE US INTERESTS HAD FINANCED THE OPERATIONS OF SMALL COLOMBIAN COFFEE GROWERS NOW THE SAME SYSTEM IS BEING USED TO FINANCE MARIJUANA PRODUCTION THIS NET HAS TO BE CUT DR BOURNE SAID THE US WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO DO ITS SHARE TO ATTEMPT TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM FROM OUR SIDE BUT THE PEOPLE ARE HARD TO CATCH THE SUCCESS OF THE ERADICATION PROGRAM IN MEXICO IS LEADING TO ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH POPPY CULTIVATION IN COLOMBIA THE US AWARE OF THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECT OF TRAFFICKING ON A COUNTRY SUCH AS COLOMBIA WOULD DO ALL IT CAN TO PREVENT THIS THE PROGRAM 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 IS SHOWING SUCCESS IN MEXICO AND IS WORKING IN THAILAND AND BURMA THE SITUATIONS IN BURMA AND COLOMBIA ARE NOT TOO DIFFERENT WITH AREAS OF THE COUNTRIES BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENTS LOPEZ INTERJECTED THAT THE SITUATION WAS DIFFERENT IN THAT BURMA IS NOT SO CLOSE TO THE US 9 BOURNE NOTED THAT TRAFFICKERS IN THE US ARE ESCAPING PUNISHMENT AND THAT PRESIDENT CARTER PLANS TO INTRODUCE MEASURES TO TIGHTEN UP THE LAW LOPEZ SAID THAT US PRISONERS IN COLOMBIA WERE EXPENSIVE FOR THE GOC AND WONDERED IF US CITIZENS COMMITTING OFFENSES IN COLOMBIA COULD BE SENT HOME TO BE TRIED ON THE OTHER HAND SERIOUS COLOMBIAN VILATORS WERE BEING EXPELLED FROM THE US WITHOUT TRIAL MUTUAL EXPULSION WITHOUT PROSECUTION WOULD ACCOMPLISH NOTHING AT SECRET SECRET PAGE 04 BOGOTA 05899 01 OF 02 242119Z THIS POINT LOPEZ CONSULTED WITH THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND THEN NOTED THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO SEND AN ACCUSED PERSON OUT OF THE COUNTRY WITHOUT TRIAL UNLESS THERE IS A TREATY COVERING IT HE ASKED HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO GET SUCH A TREATY BOURNE RESPONDED THAT IT MIGHT NOT TAKE A TREATY SECRET NNN SECRET PAGE 01 BOGOTA 05899 02 OF 02 242128Z ACTION ARA-14 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SNM-02 SS-15 NSC-05 INR-07 044 W ------------------080437 242143Z 73 P 242004Z JUN 77 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2270 S E C R E T SECTION 2 OF 2 BOGOTA 5899 HE CITED CAPABILITY OF US COURTS TO INDICT UNDER CONSPIRACY LEGISLATION SOMEONE WHO HAD NEVER SET FOOT IN THE US AND THAT AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SWISS GOVERNMENT TO FREEZE TRAFFICKING-ASSOCIATED BANK ACCOUNTS HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY LETTER 10 FALCO POINTED OUT THERE WERE DIFFERENCES IN THESE 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 CASES AND THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO EXPLORE THE LEGAL PROBLEMS AND THEN SEND THE INFORMATION BACK THROUGH THE CHARGE IF A TREATY IS REQUIRED IT WOULD TAKE TIME LOPEZ COMMENTED THAT THE SITUATION WAS QUITE COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND ADDED THAT A COLOMBIAN CITIZEN COULD NOT BE EXTRADITED TO THE US UNLESS A DEFINITE LINK WITH A CRIME WERE PROVEN 11 RETURNING TO THE SUBJECT OF THE HIGH LEVEL COMMISSION LOPEZ SAID HE WOULD INSTRUCT THE COLOMBIAN AMBASSADOR TO BE A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION IN WASHINGTON AND THAT HE WOULD EVEN CONSIDER APPOINTING A LEGAL ATTACHE ON DRUGS FALCO SAID THIS WAS AN EXCELLENT IDEA AND HER OFFICE COULD WORK WITH THE LEGAL ATTACHE ON A DAILY BASIS LOPEZ CONTINUED THAT FORMAL MEETINGS OF THE COMMISSION THEN WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY IN BOGOTA THE NARCOTICS SECTION OF THE US EMBASSY COULD HANDLE CONTACTS WITH THE COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES 12 BOURNE CITED PRESIDENT CARTER'S DESIRE TO SEE THESE MATTERS WORKED OUT SUCCESSFULLY IN THREE TO SIX MONTHS SECRET SECRET PAGE 02 BOGOTA 05899 02 OF 02 242128Z CARTER WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IF ANYTHING WAS NOT WORKING OUT IF THERE WERE ANY PROBLEMS OR ANY FAILURES TO FULFILL COMMITMENTS HE WANTED TO KNOW LOPEZ STATED THAT THE SAME APPLIED TO HIMSELF HE WAS WILLING TO LISTEN TO SUGGESTIONS AND CRITICISMS 13 FALCO SAID HER OFFICE WOULD WORK WITH THE COLOMBIAN AMBASSADOR IN WASHINGTON AND BOURNE ADDED THAT FOREIGN MINISTER LIEVANO COULD CONSULT WITH SECRETARY VANCE TO DECIDE THE OTHER COMMISSION PARTICIPANTS LEADERSHIP AT HIGH LEVELS COULD WORK OUT THE PROBLEMS 14 LOPEZ THEN SPOKE OF A CONCRETE PROBLEM THE HELICOPTERS BOURNE SAID THAT PRESIDENT CARTER RESERVED TO HIMSELF THE FINAL DECISION ON THE HELICOPTERS BUT THAT DECISION COULD BE EXPECTED AS SOON AS BOURNE AND FALCO MADE THEIR REPORT TO PRESIDENT CARTER SPEAKING OF THE PROBLEMS DELAYNG DELIVERY OF THE HELICOPTERS FALCO SAID THE US COULD PAY THE LIABILITY INSURANCE THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE STATED THAT FORMER AMBASSADOR SANCHEZ HAD SAID US COULD NOT PAY THE INSURANCE COSTS IT WAS AN EXCEPTION TO US PRACTICES FALCO SAID THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN PRESENTED TO HER FOR REVIEW IT WAS AN EXCEPTION BUT SHE FOUND NO REASON THAT EXCEPTIONS COULD NOT BE MADE THE PROBLEM COULD BE WORKED OUT 15 THE CHARGE NOTED THAT A FURTHER PROBLEM HAD BEEN WHETHER THE US CAN BE A PARTY TO THE GOC-HELICOL CONTRACT 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 FALCO SAID THAT GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF OTHER PROBLEMS SHE COULD MAKE THESE SMALL ONES GO AWAY QUICKLY LOPEZ SAID HE HAD ANNOUNCED IN 1975 THAT COLOMBIA WOULD GET US ASSISTANCE IN COMBATTING DRUG TRAFFICKING BUT HE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT MATERIALIZE YET FALCO SAID THAT FOLLOWING PRESIDENT SECRET SECRET PAGE 03 BOGOTA 05899 02 OF 02 242128Z CARTER'S DECISON IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO SIGN THE HELICOPTER CONTRACTS NEXT WEEK LOPEZ SAID THE THING IS TO GET STARTED HE WORRIES THAT THE QUOTE MAFIAS UNQUOTE THINK THEY ARE FIGHTING THE GOC ALONE HE NOTED THAT COCAINE ABUSE IS NO PROBLEM IN COLOMBIA AND THAT MARIJUANA HAS BEEN SMOKED HERE FOR CENTURIES ASKED BY FALCO IF THERE WERE A PRLBLEM WITH OTHER DRUGS LOPEZ INDICATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH SUCH THINGS AS AMPHETAMINES AND BARTITURATES 16 THE MEETING CLOSED WITH BOURNE EXPRESSING THE GRATITUDE OF THE US SIDE FOR THE MEETING WHILE LOPEZ SAID HE HOPED THINGS WOULD GET STARTED SOON HE WOULD TALK WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE 17 AS THE PARTY WALKED TOWARD THE DOOR LOPEZ ASKED SPECIFICALLY HOW THE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE BRIEFING FOR HIM ON NARCOTICS-RELATED CORRUPTION IN THE GOC WOULD BE MADE BOURNE REPLIED THAT HE WOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUITY IN WASHINGTON TO SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO BOGOTA THE EXACT APPOINTMENT COULD BE MADE THROUGH THE CHARGE 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 PRESIDENT MEETINGS Control Number n a Copy SINGLE Sent Date 24-Jun-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 1977BOGOTA05899 Document Source CORE Document Unique ID 00 Drafter n a Enclosure n a Executive Order X2 Errors N A Expiration Film Number D770227-0320 Format TEL From BOGOTA Handling Restrictions n a Image Path ISecure 1 Legacy Key link1977 newtext t19770623 aaaaatzk tel Line Count 257 Litigation Code IDs Litigation Codes Litigation History Locator TEXT ON-LINE ON MICROFILM Message ID 47884977-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc Office ACTION ARA Original Classification SECRET Original Handling Restrictions n a Original Previous Classification n a Original Previous Handling Restrictions n a Page Count 5 Previous Channel Indicators n a Previous Classification SECRET Previous Handling Restrictions n a Reference 77 BOGOTA 5809 Retention 0 Review Action RELEASED APPROVED Review Content Flags Review Date 18-Apr-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 2048495 Secure OPEN Status NATIVE Subject BOURNE-FALCO MEETING WITH PRESIDENT LOPEZ TAGS SNAR CO To STATE Type TE vdkvgwkey odbc SAS SAS dbo SAS_Docs 47884977-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