COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR JANUARY 20-23, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 009219

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA
DEPT FOR G/TIP (MILLER, TAYLOR, PATEL),NEA/ARPI (SHUKAN),
INL, DRL, PRM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KWMN OTRA PGOV PHUM PREL SA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR JANUARY 20-23, 2006
G/TIP VISIT

REF: SECSTATE 212957


1. The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia welcomes the visit of
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP)
Director Ambassador John R. Miller, G/TIP's Senior
Coordinator for Reports Mark Taylor, and G/TIP's Reports
Officer for NEA Gayatri Patel, and grants to them country
clearance for a January 20-23, 2006, visit to Riyadh
(reftel). Mr. Taylor and Ms. Patel arrive on January 20
while Ambassador Miller arrives on January 21. All depart
post on January 23. The purpose of the travel is to:
strengthen the bilateral dialogue with the SAG on TIP issues;
hold consultations with post programs; obtain fresh data for
the 2006 TIP Report; and discuss TIP trends and possible
reforms with SAG officials and other interested parties.


2. Mission control officer will be TIP coordinator political
attache Michael Boynton. He will meet upon arrival and
transportation will be provided. Contact numbers are Embassy
MSG Post 1 - (966-1)488-3800 ext. 4111; Embassy motorpool
-(966-1) 488-3800 ext. 4252; control officer home (966-1)
482-3597, office ext.4097, cell phone 050-306-5570. Lodging
in Riyadh has been arranged at the Holiday Inn Olaya, tel.
966-1-461-2000, fax 966-1-461-2595, rate is $106 which
includes 15 percent service fee, taxes, and breakfast. Per
diem for Riyadh is $153 lodging and $97 MI&E.

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Standard Advice To Travelers
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3. Visas: Visitors are reminded that valid visas for Saudi
Arabia are required at all times. Official travelers to
Saudi Arabia should request a two-year, multiple-entry visa
from the nearest Saudi Embassy or Consulate. The SAG will
not issue a visa if a passport shows travel to/from Israel.


4. Security: As a result of the continuing terrorist threat
in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in
Saudi Arabia became one-year unaccompanied posts effective
August 12, 2004.


5. On December 6, 2004 there was an armed attack on the U.S.
Consulate in Jeddah, resulting in casualties among the
non-American staff and damage to consulate facilities. Due to
such targeted attacks against American facilities and
citizens, resulting in deaths, injuries and kidnappings, and
the continuing serious threat to their safety while in Saudi
Arabia, the Department of State continues to warn U.S.
citizens to defer travel to Saudi Arabia.


6. TDYers are reminded of the potential for further terrorist
actions against U.S. citizens abroad, including in the
Persian Gulf region. U.S.G. employees who travel to Saudi
Arabia are required to follow all security precautions as
prescribed by the RSO including the use of armored vehicles.
From time to time, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi
Arabia may restrict the travel of official Americans or
suspend public services for security reasons.


7. Although counter-terrorism efforts have succeeded in
diminishing terrorist capabilities in Saudi Arabia, terrorist
groups continue to target housing compounds, hotels, methods
of transportation, and commercial establishments where
Westerners can be found. SAG facilities are also targets as
demonstrated by the December 29, 2004 attempted bombing of
the Interior Ministry. In addition to car bombs and armed
assaults involving multiple gunmen against such facilities,
terrorists have also used ambush attacks to kidnap and/or
assassinate individual Westerners.


8. These incidents argue strongly that U.S. citizens in Saudi
Arabia should maintain a low profile, keep travel to a
minimum, vary travel routes and times, and treat any mail
from unfamiliar sources with suspicion. American citizens
are also cautioned to remain alert and aware of their
surroundings while driving or riding.


9. Effective January 1, 2005, country clearance approval for
all TDY visits of 30 days or longer requires advance
certification to post that appropriate mandatory overseas
personal security training will be completed prior to travel.
If time or urgency of mission does not allow for the
completion of this mandatory training, the country clearance
request should note the circumstances and request a waiver
from the Chief of Mission.


10. In addition, all visitors to the U.S. Mission to Saudi
Arabia are required to contact the RSO within 48 hours of
their arrival, to schedule a post-specific security briefing,
mandatory for all PCS and TDY personnel, regardless of the
duration of your stay.


11. Travelers to Saudi Arabia are advised that their hotel
rooms may be monitored during their stay in the Kingdom.
Travelers should report any unusual occurrences to the
Embassy or Consulate General RSO.


12. Medical: The Department of State medical unit
recommends vaccination against meningitis for all visitors to
Saudi Arabia. All employees, including WAEs and Civil
Service employees who are in TDY status for more than 60 days
(cumulatively) in a calendar year, are required to have
up-to-date medical clearances from the Office of Medical
Services at Class 1 or Class 2 levels in order to receive
full State Department medical benefits (3 FAM 1931.3, c,e).


13. Drugs: Saudi Arabia has strict penalties for violators
of its narcotics laws. Prescription drugs in small
quantities, clearly labeled, should cause no difficulties.
Problems arise when they are in large quantities, unlabeled,
or lack documentation (such as a copy of the prescription),
or when they are deemed illicit by Saudi authorities. Many
drugs sold in nearby countries without a prescription are
considered illegal here. Individuals are arrested for
possession of these drugs.


14. Customs: Strict Islamic law is the foundation of the
Kingdom's customs and practices. The norms for public
behavior are extremely conservative. Saudi Arabia outlaws
the importation, sale or use of alcohol in the Kingdom, and
visitors should not bring any pork products or printed
materials that may be construed as pornographic in their
personal luggage.


15. Dress: Men and women should dress in a conservative
fashion when in public. In particular, women should wear
long dresses (well below the knee) with long sleeves and
avoid trousers. Embassy women do not wear abayyas (long
black coat) when out on official business and women TDY
visitors when on official business also should not wear one.


16. The guidance issued by the Saudi Embassy in Washington
states that non-Muslim women are not required to wear an
abayya, but should dress conservatively (loose fitting
dresses that cover well below the knee with long sleeves and
a high neckline) when in public; that is also the position of
the Embassy. However, some Western women, particularly those
living in the Riyadh area and in the more conservative
central region, choose to wear an abayya
when in public places and carry a headscarf in order to avoid
harassment by the religious police known as the mutawwa'in.
However, even with the abayya and scarf, harassment still
occurs. The Embassy will support a woman in whatever
personal choice she makes on the
issue of wearing or not wearing an abayya or headscarf.


17. Costs: Embassy Riyadh direct charges TDYers or each
office, agency or visiting delegation for all costs incurred
in support of official travel. These costs include American
and Foreign Service National employees' overtime, holiday pay
and premium pay as applicable, field travel by Embassy
personnel, transportation costs, vehicle rental, telephone
installation and service, cell phone rentals and telephone
calls, equipment rental, printing expenses, and any other
costs that can be directly attributed to the visit. Please
be prepared to provide fiscal data upon arrival to cover all
potential costs.


18. Electronic Items in the Embassy: The Embassy approves
the use of the computers and digital cameras with the
standard caveat that nothing is connected to DOS systems.
Stand-alone use of laptops is allowed, as are digital
cameras, but computers must stay outside of the CAA areas.
Prior notification of the use of cameras must be approved by
the RSO.


19. Embassy visitors are reminded to keep their passports
with them at all times while in Saudi Arabia as they may be
needed for identification.
GFOELLER