VZCZCXRO7402
RR RUEHLA
DE RUEHMD #1549 2221559
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101559Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3183
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0979
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1433
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 2977
UNCLAS MADRID 001549
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/WE
STATE FOR H AND RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT ASEC OREP SP AFIN
SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL BROWN
REF: STATE 110812
1. Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to
Ms. Corrine Brown, Member of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee (HTRANS), and acompanying
congressional delegation per reftel to travel to Madrid,
Spain on or about August 13 to August 15. The purpose of the
visit is to meet and discuss the current security and safety
procedures used in Europe to fight international terrorism
and to discuss European high speed rail programs and their
efficient passenger rail systems.
2. Lourdes Lamela, Economic Officer will be the control
officer for this visit. She can be reached at embassy number
011 34 91-587-2399, blackberry number 011 34 699-447-981, or
cellphone number 011 34 626 807 499. His email address is
LamelaLM@state.gov.
3. Hotel reservations and control rooms have been secured at
the Hotel Hesperia on Paseo de la Castellana 57, phone number
011 34 91 210 8800.
4. The control officer will meet and assist upon arrival.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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