FECHA: 2009-11-02 00:00:00
FUENTE: Embassy Panama
PRIVACIDAD: SECRET//NOFORN
REFERENCIA: VZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHZP #0127 0421601 ZNY SSSSS ZZH R 111601Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2981 INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2767 RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 1987 RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/DIRJIATF SOUTH RH
S E C R E T PANAMA 000127
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2019
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA: VP/FM DISCUSSES DARIEN OPTIONS WITH
AMBASSADOR
Classified By: Ambassador Barbara J. Stephenson for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
-------------------
SOUTHCOM Assistance
-------------------
1. (S//NF) First VP and FM Samuel Lewis met with the
Ambassador on February 4 to discuss the situation in the
Darien and the Ambassador's recent meetings at SOUTHCOM in
response to Lewis' December 12 request for USG planning
assistance for Darien operations. The Ambassador told Lewis
that SOUTHCOM was prepared to send an assessment team of four
to six officers to Panama to evaluate the situation in the
Darien, the GOP's requirements, and recommend whether
SOUTHCOM can assist within its existing authorization to
train, equip and advise Panamanian forces in non-lethal
operations, and what other authorizations it might need to
provide help. Lewis thanked the Ambassador, and said that
National Security Advisor Marcel Salamin and National
Frontier Service (SENAFRONT) Director Frank Abrego would be
the points of contact for the team, expected in arrive in
mid-March.
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Whole of Government Approach
----------------------------
2. (S//NF) The Ambassador told Lewis that SOUTHCOM had
shared lessons learned from the successful Colombian effort
against the FARC. These lessons highlighted the importance of
addressing the problem of "under-governed" spaces, where
irregular groups are able to build up local support
structures in the absence of a strong host nation government
presence. The best way to address under-governed spaces was
through a "whole of government" approach to reducing the
influence of irregular groups in such areas. In the case of
Panama, that meant that SENAFRONT could only be one element
of a strategy to drive out the irregulars. An increasing and
sustained presence by education, health, economic development
and other governmental agencies, in addition to law
enforcement, would also be required. The Ambassador noted
that the Embassy could bring some resources to support such a
strategy, such as elements of the Merida Initiative, some
SOUTHCOM funded programs such as Humanitarian Assistance
Programs, and medical readiness training exercises, and that
we were attempting to secure other resources to directly
support such a strategy. She said the assessment team would
also look at how SOUTHCOM might be able to assist with
planning such a strategy, taking advantage of the experience
gained in Colombia. Lewis concurred with the need to approach
the problem as one of governance, and noted that the GOP had
just approved funding to expand the runway in Meteti to ease
access to the Darien. He also reviewed a variety of air
assets - a mix of helicopters and small planes - that will be
coming on line starting late February, adding that the
government of Colombia had in the end not agreed to lease
Panama helicopters.
---------------
Legal Framework
---------------
3. (S//NF) The Ambassador, carrying a copy of the Geneva
Convention, noted that the visit to SOUTHCOM had also helped
clarify the legal framework for any future operations against
the FARC elements in the Darien. She explained to Lewis that
in Colombia the conditions were met for using the law of
armed conflict (e.g., control of territory, ranks, uniforms)
which allowed, under some circumstances, for the Colombian
military to act against the FARC using military means and
tactics, rather than police means and tactics. In Panama, the
Ambassador explained, where these conditions are not met,
operations properly fall under law enforcement rules of
engagement. She told Lewis that any recommendations from the
SOUTHCOM assessment team would, of course, be consistent with
international law. Lewis told the Ambassador that he fully
understood and agreed with this evaluation.
STEPHENSON
