COUNTRY CLEARANCE CABLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASUNCION 000739

SIPDIS

DEAHQS FOR OE, OEL/STEFFICK AND TREMPALA

POST FOR DEA ONLY

E.O.: 12958: N/A
TAGS: OTRA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE CABLE



1. COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS GRANTED FOR S/A JOHN ZAGINAILOFF
AND S/A FREDERICK A. SMITH, FOR TRAVEL TO ASUNCION DURING
THE PERIOD OF JUNE 5, 2005 TO JUNE 11, 2005 FOR THE PURPOSE
OF PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT OFFICER FOR
THE VISIT IS S/A CHAD WHITEMAN, OFFICE TEL.: 301-985-9323
EXT. 2023. HOME TEL.: 595-21-296-945.


2. HOTEL RESERVATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THE SHERIDAN HOTEL,
TELEPHONE NUMBER 011-595-21-617-7000. THIS HOTEL IS LOCATED
APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILE FROM THE EMBASSY. COST OF A SINGLE
ROOM IS 116.00 USD PER NIGHT WITHOUT TAX AND BREAKFAST
INCLUDED.


3. DUE TO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, POST WILL ONLY PROVIDE
AIRPORT EXPEDITER FOR INITIAL ARRIVAL AND FINAL DEPARTURE OF
EMPLOYEES ASSIGNED TO POST, AS WELL AS FOR SENIOR OFFICIALS.
OTHER TRAVELERS REQUIRING SPECIAL ASSISTANCE SHOULD REQUEST
AN EXPEDITER IN ADVANCE AND PROVIDE FISCAL DATE. TAXIS RIDE
FROM THE AIRPORT TO YOUR HOTEL MAY COST YOU ANYWHERE FROM
45,000 TO 60,000 GUARANIES APPROXIMATELY 8 TO 10 USD.



4. ALL U.S. CITIZENS TRAVELING TO PARAGUAY ARE NOW REQUIRED
TO HAVE VISAS. AIRPORT AND BORDER VISAS ARE NOT AVAILABLE
AT THIS TIME. PLEASE CONTACT THE PARAGUAYAN EMBASSY OR
CLOSEST CONSULATE FOR MORE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU
REQUIRE A MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA.


5. IF TRAVEL PLANS INVOLVE VISITING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES,
PLEASE ARRIVE WITH APPROPRIATE VISAS AND OBTAIN COUNTRY
CLEARANCES FROM THE APPROPRIATE U.S. EMBASSIES. BRAZIL AND
ARGENTINA REQUIRE VISAS FOR OFFICIAL TRAVELERS ON OFFICIAL,
DIPLOMATIC AND/OR PERSONAL PASSPORTS. OFFICIAL VISITORS
CONTEMPLATING TRAVEL TO IGUAZU FALLS SHOULD ADVISE THE
EMBASSY BEFORE DOING SO AS WELL AS EMBASSY BRASILIA AND/OR
EMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IF THEY PLAN TO CROSS INTO BRAZIL AND
ARGENTINA. TRAVELERS ARE REMINDED THAT IGUAZU FILLS IS
LOCATED ON THE BORDER OF BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA, ABOUT TEN
MILES EAST OF CIUDAD DEL ESTE, PARAGUAY, AND THAT TRAVELERS
FROM PARAGUAY CROSS INTO BRAZIL.


6. POST RECOMMENDS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU WILL BE ONLY
TRANSITING BRAZIL, YOU ALSO OBTAIN A BRAZILIAN VISA. IF THE
AIRLINE CANCELS OR DELAYS ITS FLIGHT IN ASUNCION, THEY YOU
MAY HAVE TO STAY IN SAO PAULO FOR ON DAY WHILE WAITING FOR
THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLIGHT TO ASUNCION. BRAZILIAN
AUTHORITIES WILL NOT PERMIT YOU TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT TO GO
TO A HOTEL WITHOUT A VALID BRAZILIAN VISA. U.S. CITIZENS
MAY BE FINGERPRINTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED UPON ENTRY INTO
BRAZIL. THIS APPLIES TO HOLDERS OF DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL
PASSPORTS AS WELL AS TOURIST PASSPORTS.


7. THREAT ASSESSMENT:


A. POLITICAL VIOLENCE-TERRORISM: THERE ARE NO INDIGENOUS
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN PARAGUAY. THERE ARE NO POLITICAL
GROUPS OR PARTIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE IN THIS COUNTRY
THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETING U.S. INTERESTS. HOWEVER,
GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF MEMBERS OF AND SUPPORT FOR EXTREMIST
TERRORIST GROUPS IN THE TRI-BORDER REGION (ALTO PARANA AND
ITAPUA DEPARTMENTS),VISITORS HERE CANNOT DISCOUNT THE
POSSIBLITY OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY, TO INCLUDE RANDOM ACTS OF
ANTI-AMERICAN VIOLENCE.


B. CRIME: PARAGUAY IS A HIGH-THREAT POST FOR CRIME. PETTY
STREET CRIME IN THE CITY OF ASUNCION AND THE IMMEDIATE
SUBURBS CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS
ALIKE. VISITORS TO THE CITY OF ASUNCION SHOULD BE AWARE OF
PROBLEMS WITH PICKPOCKETS OR PURSE SNATCHERS ON THE STREET
OR ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. UNTIL RECENTLY, MOST CRIME
AFFECTING VISITORS HAS BEEN NON-VIOLENT; AGGRAVATED
ROBBERIES, SHOOTINGS, ETC, WHILE NOT COMPLETELY UNHEARD OF
IN ASUNCION, WERE NONETHELESS UNCOMMON. HOWEVER, INCIDENTS
OF ARMED ROBBERIES OF BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES BY CRIMINAL
GROUPS ARE OCCURRING WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, AND AS A
RESULT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT DUE CAUTION BE EXERCISED WHEN
TRAVELING ABOUT THE CITY.


8. THE SEASONS IN PARAGUAY ARE THE OPPOSITE OF THOSE IN THE
UNITED STATES. ASUNCION'S CLIMATE IS EXTREMELY HOT FROM
NOVEMBER THROUGH APRIL AND COOL OR MILD IN JULY AND AUGUST.
THE TRANSITIONAL SEASONS, MAY-JUNE AND SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER ARE
UNPREDICTABLE: THEY CAN BE PLEASANT OR HOT. HEALTH
CONDITIONS GENERALLY ARE GOOD. THE WATER IN ASUNCION IS
POTABLE, AND THERE ARE FEW INTESTINAL OR STOMACH PROBLEMS.
THERE IS NO ENDEMIC HEPATITIS OR MALARIA IN ASUNCION
ALTHOUGH OUTBREAKS OF DENGUE FEVER ARE RECURRENT.


9. AS OF 06-02-05 THE CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE IS 6200
GUARANIES PER ONE US DOLLAR. PERSONAL FINANCES: OFFICIAL
TRAVELERS MAY CASH PERSONAL CHECKS AT THE EMBASSY FOR
AMOUNTS UP TO US$ 750.00 PER WEEK; AND USE THEIR ATM CARDS
AT ONE OF THE MANY TERMINALS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS WITH THE EMBASSY BANK, ABN-AMRO,
TRAVELERS'S CHECKS MAY ONLY BE CASHED WITH ONE OF THE LOCAL
EXCHANGE HOUSES.


10. LAPTOPS, PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANTS (PDA),CELLULAR
PILOTS, CELLULAR TELEPHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES:
LAPTOPS AND PDA MAY NOT BE BROUGHT INTO THE EMBASSY WITHOUT
THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICE.
PERSONALLY OWNED LAPTOPS, PDAs/MAY NOT/NOT BE USED IN THE
EMBASSY. USG-OWNED LAPTOPS MAY ONLY BE USED IN CONTROLLED
ACCESS AREAS (CAA) IF THE USER CERTIFIES THAT THE COMPUTER
HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER THE PERSONAL CONTROL OF A
CLEARED AMERICAN THROUGHOUT TRANSIT. IF THIS REQUIREMENT IS
NOT MET, THE LAPTOP CAN ONLY BE UTILIZED OUTSIDE OF THE CAA.
USG-OWNED PDAs ARE UNDER THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS CELLULAR
PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND MAY NOT BE UTILIZED
WITHIN THE CAA.


11. SECURITY CLEARANCE: STATE DEPARTMENT POLICY REQUIRES
THAT ALL OFFICIAL VISITORS VERIFY THEIR SECURITY CLEARANCES,
IN WRITING, WITH THE RSO IN ORDER TO HAVE UNESCORTED ACCESS
TO THE EMBASSY. VISITORS WHO'S CLEARANCES ARE NOT VERIFIED
MUST BE ESCORTED AT ALL TIMES. TDY'ERS MUST SCHEDULE A
SECURITY IN-BRIEFING WITH THE SECURITY OFFICE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE AFTER ARRIVING AT POST. ACCESS BADGES WILL NOT BE
ISSUED UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIPT OF THE
REQUIRED SECURITY BRIEFING.
GREGORY BELONEY, COUNTRY ATTACHE, DEA
KEANE