Interview with U.S. Ambassador to Colombia William Wood, El Tiempo (Colombia), July 10, 2005

Interview with U.S. Ambassador to Colombia William Wood, El Tiempo (Colombia), July 10, 2005

El Tiempo: Do you believe, as The New York Times states, that Colombia capitulated to the terrorist mafia?

Ambassador Wood: Absolutely not.

El Tiempo: Are you satisfied with the Justice and Peace Law that was approved?

Ambassador Wood: The Law is not perfect. It was subject to a long and democratic debate, as well as suggestions from the international community. The final law is not the same as the original draft, absolutely not. I think it's viable and can advance peace and justice, protect extradition and provide reparations to victims. But the most important thing is for this legal framework to be fully implemented.

El Tiempo: Did your Government make some suggestions regarding this Law?

Ambassador Wood: As did many NGOs and other states, friends of Colombia --yes. We talked about the Law, especially about our goals.

El Tiempo: But they didn't pay attention to what NGOs or other states said, but they did to the U.S.…

Ambassador Wood: I am not in a position to say if the Government or Congress accepted all our suggestions. From our point of view, the Law is not perfect.

El Tiempo: What is it missing?

Ambassador Wood: I don't want to talk about what the Law does not include. I want to talk about what the Law can bring to Colombian society, which has suffered 40 years of terrorism and 30 of drug trafficking. The Law can contribute if it is implemented well.

El Tiempo: Does the Law guarantee the dismantling of the paramilitary apparatus?

Ambassador Wood: A law is only words written on a piece of paper. If the Law is implemented well, the dismantling of those armed groups can be accomplished.

El Tiempo: Do you think the Santa Fe de Ralito demobilization zone should continue to exist?

Ambassador Wood: Santa Fe de Ralito was created because there was no legal framework to deal with the leaders and those guilty of committing crimes against humanity. Now we have a legal framework, and once the Law is signed by the President it is difficult to understand what purpose Santafé de Ralito has. The paramilitaries either have to turn themselves in or go back to the jungle.

El Tiempo: Are you worried that Santa Fe de Ralito may become another Caguan?

Ambassador Wood: The uncertainty is over. The paramilitaries have to turn themselves in or not. And the Government's answer is already known: if they do not surrender the Government is going to look for them, capture them, imprison them, and then they won't receive the benefits of the Law.

El Tiempo: Do you mean that with the Law all of them have to demobilize now?

Ambassador Wood: The time has come for the paramilitary leaders to decide. They have to state if they are sincere or not.

El Tiempo: What do you think about the "Don Berna" episode - the fact that he is implicated in a crime during the ceasefire?

Ambassador Wood: As I understand, "Don Berna" attained demobilized status. Therefore, I imagine he will be one of the first to give the free declaration, go through the interviews and formal investigations, and be sentenced. He has to go through this only for his crimes during his short time as a paramilitary. The Law does not give him any benefits for the period before he became a paramilitary, when he committed crimes against us under our law. The Law says that the alternative sentence may be served abroad, which means that "Don Berna" could serve his alternative sentence in the United States and, at the same time, be judged for the crimes that are not subject to this law, which are many.

El Tiempo: Will your country provide evidence of paramilitary crimes?

Ambassador Wood: We always cooperate with Colombia so both countries can prepare the strongest judicial cases possible. But crimes in the U.S. are one thing and crimes in Colombia are another. We understand that Colombia wants to prosecute criminals here; we also want to prosecute criminals there, under our law.

El Tiempo: To the U.S. is the Mancuso case different than the "Don Berna"case?

Ambassador Wood: On April 27, 2004, President Uribe said he would not negotiate extradition and that Mancuso will not be extradited as long as he supports the demobilization process. We are still asking for his extradition, we hope that he can be extradited.

El Tiempo: In other words, they are the same case…

Ambassador Wood: When we ask for someone in extradition, we mean it.

El Tiempo: How much will the process with the paramilitaries help to end drug trafficking?

Ambassador Wood: If the Law is well implemented, I am very sure that the level of violence, and also drug trafficking, will decline.

El Tiempo: Will criticism of the Law in the U.S. affect financial support?

Ambassador Wood: Although The New York Times editorial was somewhat premature, because we still do no know how the Law will be implemented, I think it represents honest doubts about the process. But with patience to see what the effects will be, maybe the doubts can be positively resolved.

El Tiempo: How does your Government view the conditions the U.S. Senate placed on support for demobilization?

Ambassador Wood: We share the senators' goals and their dedication to peace, justice, dismantling of armed groups, reparations and extradition. We hope that we can find the way to work with Congress on these goals.

El Tiempo: U.S. resources are now invested in the demobilization process. Will they be affected?

Ambassador Wood: We don't know about resources from past fiscal years. The implementation of the Law could affect them in the future.

El Tiempo: Did the negative environment in the U.S. Congress lead your Government to suspend additional funding requests?

Ambassador Wood: Two weeks ago the House of Representatives approved all the support President Bush requested for Colombia. There is an important level of support, but that doesn't mean blind support. What we want most is to understand how the Law will be implemented.

El Tiempo: Is the U.S. worried about rumors of close relations between the Uribe Government and people linked to the Medellín Cartel?

Ambassador Wood: We have not seen a substantive, definite or concrete indication of any link between President Uribe and any criminal act. We do not react based on rumors. We trust President Uribe's commitment and honesty one hundred per cent.

El Tiempo: What do you think about the changes in Ecuador? Do you think it is wavering in its cooperation with Colombia?

Ambassador Wood: That is not my parish and as a humble priest I will not comment.

El Tiempo: How can Colombia speed up the FTA, if the U.S. negotiators have stalled it by not responding to some proposals?

Ambassador Wood: Washington, as well as Colombia, has agreed that it is extremely important to reach an agreement as soon as possible, and I hope that happens.

El Tiempo: Why hasn't the U.S. responded to those proposals?

Ambassador Wood: Well, there has been one procedural obstacle which delayed us for a few days, but the response will arrive soon.

El Tiempo: Will it be positive?

Ambassador Wood: It will come from Washington.

El Tiempo: Security sources say the U.S. is in direct negotiations to free the U.S. citizens held by the FARC.

Ambassador Wood: You have to find better intelligence sources. We worry about the U.S. hostages every day and we are doing everything we can to cooperate with the Colombian Government, but we don't negotiate with terrorists --period.

As of July 16, 2005, this document was also available online at http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsww58.shtml