INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Codel Martinez (January 4-12)

Published: Fri 28 Dec 2007 09:37 AM
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RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHMD #2301 3620937
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280937Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4007
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0410
RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN 0126
RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 1046
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 6074
UNCLAS MADRID 002301
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/WE
H AND RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN
SUBJECT: CODEL MARTINEZ (JANUARY 4-12)
REF: SECSTATE 170310
1. Embassy warmly welcomes Senator Mel Martinez, and
accompanying delegation travel to Madrid, Spain on or about
January 10 to January 11. The purpose of travel is for
matters pertaining to the authorizing committee.
2. Political Counselor William Duncan is the point of
contact and can be reached at embassy number 34 91 587 2389,
blackberry number 620 588 468 and email address is
DuncanW@state.gov. A copy of the proposed schedule will be
forwarded via email.
3. Hotel reservations have been made at the Intercontinental
Castellana Hotel located on Paseo de la Castellana, 49, 28046
Madrid, telephone number is 34 91 700 7300 and fax number is
34 91 319 5853. The room rate is $272.00 and it does not
include breakfast. The breakfast buffet is $43.45 per
person. The per diem rate for Madrid is $272 for lodging and
$151 for M
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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