INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Spain Country Clearance for Gao: Jayetta Hecker,

Published: Fri 20 Apr 2007 09:24 AM
VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHMD #0731 1100924
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200924Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2325
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0857
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0114
UNCLAS MADRID 000731
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/WE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OTRA SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR GAO: JAYETTA HECKER,
STEVEN COHEN AND, MATTHEW ROSENBERG, MAUREEN LUNA-LONG AND
JOHN HEALEY
REF: SECSTATE 46671
1. Embassy grants country clearance to GAO personnel; Steven
Cohen and Matthew Rosenberg, (the others are listed in case
of substitution) to travel to Madrid, Spain on or about April
23 to April 27. The purpose of this visit is to conduct a
review of public-private partnerships in the construction,
maintenance and operations of transportation infrastructure.
2. The control officer for this visit is Whitney Baird,
Economic Counselor. She can be reached at Embassy number
91/587-2288 or cellphone number 650-624-831. A copy of the
schedule will be sent via email.
3. Hotel reservations have been made at Hotel Hesperia
located on Paseo de la Castellana, 57, phone number
34/91-210-8800. Confirmation numbers are as follow for
Steven Cohen 3230706 and 2320708 for Matthew Rosenberg. The
per diem rate for Madrid is $247 and breakfast is included.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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
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