Cablegate: Country Clearance for Hhs/Cdc Caryn Bern

VZCZCXYZ0018
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPE #3324/01 2761338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031338Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
INFO RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ OCT WASHDC 7032

UNCLAS LIMA 003324

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT PASS TO HHS FOR STEIGER OGHA
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/AND

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OTRA ASEC KSCA CDC BL PE
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR HHS/CDC CARYN BERN

REF: A. ATLANTA 03879

B. ATD #4504

1. (U) The Embassy grants country clearance for the visit to
Peru of Caryn Bern, Medical Officer, NCZVED/COGH, HHS/CDC,
from October 11-15, 2007. The purpose of this trip is to work
with collaborators in Asociacion Benefica Proyectos en Salud,
Medicina y Agricultura (A.B. PRISMA) on data from study of
Chagas disease in Peru. POC would appreciate trip report of
visit. No embassy assistance has been requested.

When departing Lima by air, the Republic of Peru imposes an
airport departure tax on any outbound passenger of 30.25 USD
for international flights and 6.05 USD for domestic flights.

2. (U) POINT OF CONTACT, TELEPHONE NUMBERS, ADDRESS AND
COMPUTER USE:

Point of contact for the visit is Deputy Economic Counselor
and ESTH Officer Marcos Mandojana, office telephone number
(51)(1)618-2411, cellular telephone (51)(1)9-632-0869,
e-mail: mandojanamc@state.gov. Embassy after-hours direct
line for Marine Security Guard is (51)(1)618-2936. The
Embassy address is Av. La Encalada, Cuadra 17, in the
Monterrico Sur Section of Lima. Control officer should be
notified as soon as possible upon arrival in country if you
are not met at the airport.

State Department TDY visitors requiring OpenNet-Plus Systems
access during their stay should directly contact Daniel
Siebert, ISO, in advance of their arrival so a computer
account can be created if needed.

Any employee who intends to bring U.S. Government portable
microcomputers (laptops) for use in CAA or non-CAA areas must
notify post's ISSO and RSO in advance of travel. 12 FAH-6
h-314 prohibits the installation or use of any privately
owned computer in a government building where classified
information is processed or stored. Accordingly, post policy
prohibits Personal Electronic Devices (PED), Personal Digital
Assistants (PDA) e.g. "Palm Pilots," MP-3 players, etc.
within the Chancery facility. Such devices are never
authorized in CAA spaces and are not authorized connectivity
within OpenNet unclassified or classified networks, or
stand-alone classified PCs. Personnel who wish to bring PDAs
authorized under the Department of State's Secure Wireless
Extended Enterprise Technology (SWEET) program into the
Chancery must notify Post's ISSO and RSO in advance of
travel. Find information concerning the SWEET program at
http://sweet.irm.state.gov. Please refer to 03 STATE 286036
for detailed guidance regarding Post's Information Systems
security requirements.

3. (U) PASSPORT/VISAS:

To ensure full protection for travelers, the mission requires
that all visitors eligible for official/diplomatic passports
use them when traveling. Official travelers are advised not
to use tourist passports. In exceptional cases where
official travelers must use tourist passports, they do not
need to have an official visa, as long as they stay in the
country less than 90 days.

The Migrations Office at the airport in Lima grants all
visitors a 90-day stay in the country. Travelers with
official/diplomatic passports, who are scheduled to stay less
than 90 days in Peru, do not need to have an official visa.

Visitors with official/diplomatic passports, who are
scheduled to stay more than 90 days in Peru, or whose initial
stay is less than 90 days but later may need to stay longer,
must have an official visa.

DOD personnel on personal travel must use a tourist passport.
If official visitors arrive via military ship, a passport is
not required unless the individual is required to exit Peru
via commercial or military air. If an official visitor is a
Peruvian National serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, a valid
Peruvian (maroon) passport is absolutely necessary in all
cases in order for the individual to enter or exit Peru.
Proof of residency in the U.S. (green card) is required for
return to the U.S. All visas for onward travel should be
obtained prior to arrival in Peru.

4. (SBU) SECURITY:

Post reminds all TDY personnel requesting country clearance
for temporary duty of 30 days or more of the requirement to
complete mandatory personal security training effective
January 1, 2005. Personnel requesting country clearance for
periods of 30 days or more must certify that they have or
will complete the required training prior to their travel, or
may request a waiver as per the above policy. For extended
TDY requests, individual bureaus (not the Bureau of Human
Resources) are responsible for ensuring that their staff, in
all employment categories (Civil Service, Foreign Service,
WAE, PSC, etc.), meets the training requirement. See 04
State 66580 for more information about the mandatory personal
security training requirement.

Security briefings are mandatory for all official visitors
who come to Peru for more than seven days. Briefings are
given in the RSO Conference Room at the Embassy, on
Wednesdays and Fridays, promptly at 9:00 a.m.

Country clearance is granted for travel to non-Embassy
restricted areas only. Visitors who plan to travel to
Embassy restricted areas must request Post approval upon
arrival. A list of these areas can be obtained from the RSO.
It is imperative that the Mission be notified immediately of
delays or changes in plans or itinerary. Personnel must not
change hotels without first notifying control officer. The
State Department has designated Peru as high threat for
indigenous terrorism, medium threat for transnational
terrorism and political violence, and critical threat for
crime. Two terrorist groups operate in Peru: Sendero
Luminoso (SL) and Movimiento Revolucionario Tupac Amaru
(MRTA). Both organizations continue to be potential threats
and have targeted U.S. facilities in the past. Due to GOP
efforts, the activities of the SL and MRTA have been greatly
reduced and are now largely confined to rural areas.
Overland travel outside of Lima and other large cities during
the hours of darkness is prohibited due to unsafe road
conditions and the threat of armed criminals. Terrorist
groups and other criminal elements operate with relative
impunity in some interior areas and are known to target
vehicular traffic. Crime is a serious problem in
metropolitan Lima and popular tourist areas such as Arequipa,
Cuzco, and Machu Picchu. Most crimes involve petty theft,
pickpocketing, bag slashing, grab-and-run, and theft from
occupied and unoccupied vehicles. More violent crimes
include armed robbery, carjacking, and choke-and-rob.
Criminals frequently react violently when resistance is
encountered. In almost all instances it is advisable not to
offer resistance. Most areas of downtown Lima are dangerous
and should be avoided during the hours of darkness. Visitors
are cautioned to remain alert to their surroundings at all
times, particularly when in crowded areas, such as on public
transportation, at outdoor markets, and at tourist sites.
Countermeasures against crime also protect against terrorism.
Special care should be exercised at the Jorge Chavez
International Airport in Callao. Criminals frequent this
area, especially at night, and are known to target foreigners
both inside and outside the terminal.

5. (U) ICASS TDY Policy and Action Request:

Each visitor, regardless of length of stay, must
bring/forward fiscal data to pay for direct costs of the
visit. Each agency, organization, or visiting delegation
will be charged for the actual costs attributed to their
visit. Direct charge costs include, but are not limited to:
American and LES staff overtime (e.g., expediter,
accommodation exchange, representational event support),
field travel-lodging and M&IE by Embassy employees, vehicle
rentals, long distance telephone calls, equipment rentals,
office supplies, and all other costs that are directly
attributable to the visit. Also, for TDYers over 30 days,
there is a charge for ICASS support services. If your
sponsoring agency is not signed up for ICASS services at
post, please be prepared to sign a MOU for ICASS support
services upon arrival. The agency should provide post with a
written communication, generated by the traveler's
headquarters, that confirms the agency will pay ICASS charges
for the TDYers, provides the agency ICASS billing code the
TDY support charges should be applied to, and authorizes the
traveler to sign the ICASS invoice generated by the TDY
module. Where travel is urgent, the TDYers should bring this
documentation with them to ensure there are no interruptions
in the provision of service. Post will not provide any
service to a TDYer staying in excess of 30 days without
provision of this documentation before day 31 of the TDY.

6. (U) HEALTH CONCERNS:

Travelers to the jungle areas of Peru should have up-to-date
yellow fever vaccine and malaria prophylaxis for
chloroquine-resistant strains of malaria. Primary prevention
against malaria and dengue fever includes avoiding the
mosquito vectors of these diseases: using insect repellent,
appropriate protective clothing, and bed netting. Hepatitis
A and B vaccinations are strongly recommended for all persons
before coming to Peru. Rabies is present in country, and
those individuals whose work and/or leisure activities might
expose them to wild animals, bats or stray dogs, should
consider receiving the rabies vaccine. Traveler's
diarrhea/dysentery is quite common in Peru. Visitors should
substitute bottled beverages for potentially contaminated
water. Fish, shellfish, and vegetables should not be eaten
unless well cooked, and all food should be eaten while still
hot. Fruits with a peel are generally safe, provided they
are peeled before being eaten. Typhoid vaccine is also
recommended. Cholera is endemic in Peru and disease rates
reach high levels from January to May--the same food and
bottled water precautions apply. Travelers planning to
travel to high altitude areas of Peru, such as Cuzco, Machu
Picchu, and Puno, should consult with their health care
provider first, and be fully aware of the health dangers of
high altitudes and measures to minimize these dangers.

7. (SBU) MEDICAL CLEARANCES:

All employees who are at post in TDY status for more than 60
days are required to have a medical clearance from the Office
of Medical Services. Contractors who are not direct-hire USG
employees do not have access to the Embassy Health Unit.
MCKINLEY

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