VZCZCXYZ0026
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHMD #0547 0821800
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231800Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2153
UNCLAS MADRID 000547
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/WE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN OTRA SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR SEC OFFICIAL SHERMAN
BOONE
REF: SECSTATE 26790
1. Embassy grants country clearance to Securities & Exchange
Commission: Sherman Boone, Assistant Director to travel to
Madrid, Spain on March 26 to March 27. The purpose of this
visit is to attend and participate in the Issue Mapping
Sub-Committee of the Technical Committee of the IOSCO meeting.
2. Post is coordinating hotel reservations per email
message. Post reminds visitor that any request for Embassy
assistance should come in via cable message format.
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