EAC TO REVIEW CURRENT SECURITY STATUS

UNCLAS E F T O SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000552 SIPDIS NOFORN SENSITIVE STATE FOR DS/OP/WHA, DS/ICI/ITA AND WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC CASC PTER HO SUBJECT: EAC TO REVIEW CURRENT SECURITY STATUS REF: A. 02 STATE 52222 (CME SCH FOR 4/03) ¶B. 02 TEGUC 02860 (EAC 9/10/02) ¶C. 02 TEGUC 02564 (EAC 10/10/02) ¶D. 02 TEGUC 03388 (EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS LIMDIS) ¶E. EAP SECTION 900 (CHEM-BIO) ¶F. SECSTATE 32644 ¶1. At 10:00am on 02/19/03, a meeting of the EAC was convened by the Ambassador and chaired by the DCM. ¶2. The following sections/agencies were present during the EAC meeting: RSO, POL, JTF-B, USAID, PEACE CORPS, CONS, IPC, ADM, MSG, DEA, CLO, ECON, PAS, ORA and DAO. ¶3. The following issues were discussed by the EAC: - ARSO briefed EAC on current security situation in Honduras. - EAC reviewed status of security measures that are currently in place at Mission facilities and options available for emergency situations. - Concerns/implications for the schools attended by Mission children should the U.S. go to war with Iraq. -- RSO and Admin Officer will meet with school directors to discuss current security measures at each school. -- Security of busing American children was discussed. -- Unless, Department requests us to do so or front office deems it necessary, Mission employees (with the exception of DOD when policy dictates) will not be required to pull children from schools in the event of war. Parents are encouraged to remove their children from schools anytime they feel the security of their children is at risk. -- CLO will send out a "routine memo" to schools of Mission children for the purpose of updating school student contact list. - RSO is planning a visit to the Alternate Command site for the EAC members on Friday, March 8th. - Monthly radio checks will be coordinated by RSO through IPC. RSO and IPC will discuss current radio maintenance procedures and discuss alternative methods of radio maintenance. - RSO office will update the inventory of all Mission armored vehicles. - If war occurs, EAC will consider the use of home-to-office transportation through GSO. - All Mission drills need to be reviewed and scheduled ASAP. -- Duck and cover, bomb threat drill, emergency destruction and fire drills need to be scheduled immediately. -- The RSO should review all drills and make suggestions of drills that need to be urgently performed. -- Check date for last ENS and Radio check drills. - Embassy currently has a satellite phone and two Iridium phones available for use in case of emergencies. - RSO staff is carefully tracking demonstrations against American interests, noting participants and motives. - Draw-down list should be reviewed and HR should review their preparedness for voluntary/ordered departures. - Town Hall meetings should be held on regular basis to include family members and FSNs, Ambassador to consider town hall meetings for American communities. - Embassy community is reminded to review and familiarize itself with the Mission website including the Crime and Security Section. - Consular should consider some type of backup system for notifying the American community of emergency events, should primary system fail. - RSO/CLO are working on security awareness briefings for domestic employees. - RSO will review the Embassy access policy and suggest changes/improvements to Country Team. - Tripwires requiring immediate EAC action: -- Significant Intel and surveillance reports. -- American kidnappings and increased violence directed at Amcits. -- C-12 aircraft mishap -- Delayed responses from Government Officials or local Law Enforcement in wake of hostile environment. ¶4. Refs B and C detail EAC meetings, which addressed threat assessments and preparedness. Ref D covers Security, Management and Consular issues in detail, as well as Chem-Bio Readiness and Post Communications including drills and off-site capability. Ref E, the new Chem-Bio chapter, section 900 was completed and sent to DS on 12/13/02. ¶5. The Ambassador stressed that EAC members should fully review the EAP and be prepared for any contingency in the coming weeks given the possibility of U.S. action against Iraq. He underscored that the security of the Embassy and its personnel is his top priority. Palmer