VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHMD #0332 0531720
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221720Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0118
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1924
INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0553
UNCLAS MADRID 000332
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/WE
SEC/DEE BLAGMON, BLAGMOND@SEC.GOV
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: APER ASEC OSCE OTRA SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR USOSCE DIANA BROWN AND
ROBERT CARLSON
REF: USOSCE 00061
1. Embassy grants country clearance to USOSCE Deputy
Political counselor Diana Brown and Political Economic
Officer Robert Carlson to travel to Zaragosa, Spain on or
about March 12 to March 14. The purpose of this visit is to
participate in the OSCE Preparatory Conference for Economic
and Environmental Forum.
2. Hotel reservations have been made for the night of March
11 at Hotel Gran Melia Fenix, Hermosilla 2 telephone number
is 34-91-431-6700. The confirmation number is 111.033. The
perdiem rate for Madrid is $239 for lodging and $138 for M
breakfast is not included in the room rate.
3. Visitors are reminded that bearers of diplomatic and
official passports coming to Spain on official business need
to obtain a Spanish visa prior to arrival to Spain.
4. Post can provide DoS email access via OpenNet
(unclassified system) to State Department travelers who have
active OpenNet accounts. Post can also support users who wish
to access their email accounts using FOBs or OWA. Exchange
5.5 users (ask your system manager to provide Exchange server
version) who have to use remote login to access their
exchange email accounts will need to provide Post,s IM
section with the name of their DoS Domain and their Exchange
Server name and/or IP address.
5. THREAT ASSESSMENT:
In general, Spain is safe. However, Madrid, Barcelona and
other large cities in Spain -- including resort/convention
areas such as Benidorm -- attract a large number of criminals
and pickpockets and frequent incidents of crime of
opportunity against the unwary do occur. Carry only
essential items including a photocopy of your passport's
photo page. Visitors can protect themselves against crime by
being street-smart, alert and aware of their surroundings.
In the event you are victimized by crime, or experience any
security-related incident, please contact the Embassy's
Regional Security Office at 91-587-2550 or after hours at
91-587-2355. Official visitors to the Embassy in Madrid or
the Consulate General in Barcelona are encouraged to receive
a security briefing from the RSO office at their earliest
convenience. Additional information regarding safety and
security in Spain is available on the U.S. Department of
State's website (www.embusa.es).
Travelers are encouraged to review the most recent Worldwide
Caution issued by the Department of State. As the Department
of State continues to develop information on any potential
security threats to Americans overseas, it shares credible
threat information through its Consular Information Program
documents, available on the Internet at
http://travel/state.gov. In addition to information on the
Internet, U.S. travelers can hear recorded information by
calling the Department of State in Washington, D.C. at
202-647-5225 from their touch-tone telephone, or receive
information by automated telefax by dialing 202-647-3000 from
their fax machine.
AGUIRRE