COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR U.S. GOVERNORS TO AFGHANISTAN

UNCLAS KABUL 005619

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR HARRIMAN
OSD FOR KIMMITT
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT ASEC OTRA AF
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR U.S. GOVERNORS TO AFGHANISTAN

REF: STATE 189991


1. U.S. Embassy welcomes the visit of Governors Pataki,
Kulongoski, Corzine, and Huntsman as well as Anthony Welcher,
Dan Wilmot, Traci Scott, Rob Wilkins, MG Michael Sumrall, and
Col. Kurt Vogel and grants country clearance for the period
November 30 to December 1, for the governors to visit troops,
visit USAID sites and meet President Karzai. Control officer is
Kimberly McClure, email address mcclurekm2@state.gov; telephone:
011-93- 70-108-173 or 011-93-70-234-575. All travelers who
possess U.S. Department of State badges should bring their ID
for identification purposes and to obtain an Embassy ID. The
delegation holds the following clearances:

Gov. George Pataki, Secret, TP# 110905641
Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Secret, TP# 202262656
Gov. Jon Corzine, Secret, TP# 113297068
Gov. Jon Huntsman, Secret, TP# 017812428
Anthony Welcher, Top Secret, DP# 900401944
Dan Wilmot, Top Secret, DP# 900435419
Traci Scott, Top Secret, TP# 802151397
MG Michael Sumrall Top Secret OP#801627853
Col. Kurt Vogel, Top Secret, OP# 801611537
Rob Wilkins, Top Secret, OP# 801990215


2. VISAS: A visa for Afghanistan MUST be obtained prior to
arrival; visas on arrival are not available. You may need a visa
for the cities you transit, as well. U.S. citizens do not
require a United Arab Emirates (for Dubai) visa for stays of
less than 30 days.


3. The New Embassy Compound (NEC) construction project is
underway. During the period of your stay, dust and/or mud,
noise and disruptions will be a constant feature.


4. IMPORTANT: Appropriate Clothing

WOMEN: Women are encouraged to wear trousers or long dresses
(hemline to the ankle),full-length sleeves and a modest
neckline (no sleeveless or low necked tops). Many women carry a
shawl or wrap. Some women choose to have a head covering.

MEN: For meetings with Afghan officials, especially those at
the Palace, men are encouraged to wear business suit and
necktie.

Wearing tight or revealing clothing is unacceptable both for
official meetings and any time you are in public. For both men
and women going off the Embassy compound it is appropriate to
wear long pants or jeans and a shirt with a long tail and
sleeves below the elbow. Wearing shorts and low waist pants and
jeans revealing the bellybutton is not appropriate when out in
the host country community.


5. TRAVEL OPTIONS TO KABUL

The recommended travel route to Kabul is through Dubai. This
requires Embassy Kabul assistance to book flights from Dubai
into Kabul. The traveler?s assigned Embassy control officer
should submit a GSO Travel Services Request with USG travel
orders/fiscal data and the requested flight dates and times
attached. Payment in cash is required for any traveler not on
USG orders. For USAID travelers please e-mail Seetha Chayapathi
schayapathi@usaid.gov) or Baryalai Wazeen (bwazeen@usaid.gov) to
arrange travel services.

The traveler is responsible for booking their hotel reservations
in Dubai.

Flights are available daily into Kabul although they may be
cancelled or delayed on short notice, especially during the
winter months. Please note that the Embassy is closed on Friday
and cannot provide customs, immigration, or baggage expediting
on that day.

a. Dubai: United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) and
KamAir flights may be booked through the Embassy Kabul GSO
Travel Office. Ariana Afghan flights are not authorized for
travelers on USG orders. Passengers are allowed 30 kg (66 lbs.)
of luggage with a $5.00 (UNHAS) or $3.00 (KamAir) per kilo
overweight charge payable in local currency. UNHAS flies to
Kabul on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, and KamAir operates
daily. UNHAS flight check-in is at 1000 in Terminal 2 for a
1200 departure, and the KamAir flight check-in is at 0500 in
Terminal 2 for a 0700 departure. For UNHAS flights, the
passenger will receive an electronic confirmation from the
Embassy Travel Office a few days before they travel. For KamAir
flights, tickets can be picked up at the check-in counter in
Terminal 2. Please be sure to identify yourself as a U.S.
Embassy passenger to be assured they can give you your boarding
pass.

b. Alternate routes to Kabul

DELHI: Indian Airlines flies between Delhi and Kabul on Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday, departing Delhi at 1110, and KamAir flies
from Delhi on Monday and Thursday, departing Delhi at 0930.
These flights may be booked through a commercial travel agent,
but you must inform your Embassy control officer and the Embassy
Travel Office, at KabulGSOTravel@state.gov, of your arrival date
and time so you can be added to the expediting and vehicle
roster.

ISLAMABAD: Due to security concerns and logistics problems, Post
does not recommend transit through Islamabad. Transit through
Pakistan requires country clearance and a valid visa and all
arrangements for air travel, transport and hotels in Islamabad
must be coordinated in advance with the Kabul Support Unit (KSU)
at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. Please contact KSU at
crockercb@state.gov if transit through Islamabad is required.

BAKU: Azal Airlines flies from Baku to Kabul on Sunday, Monday,
and Wednesday with a departure time of 0800. This flight may be
booked through a commercial travel agent, but you must inform
your Embassy control officer and the Embassy Travel Office, at
KabulGSOTravel@state.gov, of your arrival date and time so you
can be added to the expediting and vehicle roster.


6. Communications: IDD telephone is 00-93-2-290005 and 290002.
Embassy INMARSAT is 011-873-762-104-846. 24-hour Marine Command
Post INMARSAT for emergencies is: 00-873-761-837-725. Fax (not
reliable) is 00-93-2-2301364. USAID/Afghanistan can be reached
from the U.S. at (202) 216-6288. Post has unclassified and
classified e-mail, record traffic, OPENNET Plus, and limited
Internet capabilities.

a. Email Access: Access to State Department email (for State
Department employees only) ? to avoid creating duplicate email
addresses within the State.gov system, post prefers not to
provide a TDY e-mail address for visitors here less than 60
days. To access your ?home office? email while at Post, please
bring with you the following information:

--Name of your MS Exchange Server: i.e., KABULSNTSB
--Mailbox name, normally your NT login ID: i.e., DoeJM (you
will also need to remember the NT login password from your
account).
--Name of your NT Domain: i.e., KABULDOM1

b. Official travelers on temporary duty, including non-State
personnel, must coordinate the transport of official portable
computers (unclassified or classified) that will be used within
USG facilities with the RSO and ISSO. Please include make,
model and serial number in correspondence to Post. Department
of State policy prohibits the connection of official, portable
computers to OpenNet or ClassNet without the explicit approval
of the Post ISSO. 12 FAM 625.2.1 states that privately owned
computers are not installed or used in any Department of State
office building.


7. Lodging is scarce and will be allotted according to the
following priority: permanent staff staying a year or more,
long-term TDY staff, short-term TDY staff and visitors. Most
TDYers will be housed in multi-bunk rooms in trailers. Sheets,
blankets, pillows and towels are provided. Rooms may be cool at
night. Self-service laundry facilities are available. An
American-style cafeteria provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
along with coffee, tea, and soft drinks within per diem rates.
You may wish to bring towels, layered clothing for warmth, a
small flashlight, and over-the-counter medicines as needed, hand
lotion, lip balm, shower shoes, and snacks. On the compound,
American dress is the norm, but most women bring long sleeved
garments, light jackets or shawls to cover their arms for trips
off compound. Two Embassy gyms are available to all compound
residents.


8. Money: Travelers should bring cash dollars. TDYers should
bring enough cash for their stay or a debit card, as an ATM
machine is available. Credit cards and checks are not accepted
in Kabul but U.S. dollars are widely accepted.

9. Fiscal Data: In accordance with Department of State policy,
post will direct charge each agency, organization or visiting
delegation for the actual costs attributed to its visit. These
costs include, but are not limited to, American and locally
engaged staff overtime; field travel by Embassy employees;
transportation costs for official vehicles; phone usage; and the
cost for representational events. All/all visitors requesting
administrative support services must provide the Embassy with
authorization and fiscal data (e.g., travel orders) against
which the costs for requested items can be charged. This
information should be cabled or emailed to the Embassy in
advance of your arrival. Please note that without a fund cite
and authorization, post may not be able to provide vehicles,
drivers, or other services.

10. Ground Transportation: Travelers will be met at the
airport upon arrival by an Embassy expediter, driver, and
security officer. The GSO Motor Pool has limited capabilities
and will give priority to official travel, with personal travel
available only if vehicles and drivers are available. USG
employees are not authorized to use public transportation.


11. Medical: Kabul is a Class 1 Medical Clearance Post. If
you have any significant medical problems, you should avoid
travel to Afghanistan. In accordance with 3 FAM 1931.3 "Failure
to obtain post-specific approval before traveling abroad may
result in the individual being denied participation in the
medical program and access to health units abroad." Excursion
Civil Service, WAE and TDY personnel who will be at Post more
than 60 days are required to contact MED Clearances at 202-663-
1668 or email medclearances@state.gov to arrange or verify MED
approval to come to Post well in advance of their departure
date.

a. Contractors or other long-term TDY employees who are not
direct hire USG employees are not covered under the Department
of State Medical Program, do not have Post Health Unit
privileges, are not covered by M/DGHR/MED for medevac and should
be covered by medevac insurance through their contracting
company.

b. The Embassy Health Unit is staffed by a Foreign Service
Health Practitioner and a Locally Employed Physician. An
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) hospital offers
limited treatment capabilities.

c. Kabul is in a malaria zone from March to November. During
this time it is important to begin anti-malarial medication
before arriving at Post. Either Mefloquine 250 mg weekly or
Doxycycline 100mg daily are approved for malarial prophylaxis.
These medications must also be taken for 4 weeks after departing
Post.

d. Individuals with sickle cell trait should carefully consider
the altitude of this Post before applying for assignment here.
Short-term (TDY) assignments carry an added risk because of the
lack of time for acclimatization. Dehydration and stress from
exercise or illness compound the basic risks of high altitude.

e. Visitors should bring cold and intestinal medicines, saline
nasal spray, lip balm, sunscreen, dry skin care, insect
repellent with DEET, and tissues. If you wear contacts, bring
an ample supply of cleaning solution and two pairs of your
prescription glasses. The dry, dusty climate can make wearing
contacts uncomfortable. If you are taking prescription
medication (i.e. for hypertension or other) bring sufficient
amounts for more than the expected length of your stay as
pharmaceuticals are limited.


12. Security Guidelines:

a. The security environment in Kabul and throughout Afghanistan
is dangerous. There is continued potential for attacks against
U.S. citizens and interests in Afghanistan. Terrorists do not
distinguish between official and civilian targets. Terrorist
actions may include, but are not limited to, rocket attacks,
suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings,
shootings or bombings. Potential exists in Kabul and the rest
of the country for demonstrations, riots, bombings, and other
violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.

b. Visitors are advised to maintain a level of vigilance and to
heighten their security awareness while at post. American
citizens have been victimized by vehicle-borne explosives and
roadside bombs within the last year. Occasional rocket attacks
in the vicinity of the Embassy compound are unpredictable and
random. There have been incidents of carjackings and robberies
directed against NGOs, journalists and diplomats carried out by
aggressive and armed persons. The proliferation of weapons on
the street is extensive. Host country and ISAF forces have had
some success in making arrests and seizing weapons. However
travel outside of Kabul remains extremely dangerous in many
places, and travel within Kabul after dark should also be
avoided. Due to restrictions on travel and limitations on
available resources, TDY travelers should be prepared to expect
delays and possible cancellations of events in Kabul and of
proposed out-of-Kabul travel.

c. All personnel are required to attend a RSO Security Briefing
after arrival. Verification of security clearance level is
required prior to the issuance of an identification card.
Persons who will require unescorted access in the controlled
access areas (CAA) are responsible for ensuring that security
clearances are transmitted to post prior to their arrival.

d. The U.S. Embassy maintains a 2400 curfew. However, changes
in threat conditions may result in an earlier curfew on a
temporary basis. The RSO must clear any travel outside of the
city, as well as any proposed travel after dark. Travel during
daylight hours is permitted, but must be performed in an armored
vehicle. Anyone traveling off the compound must sign out on
departure and back in upon returning to the compound. Personnel
are advised to carry a radio or cell phone to maintain contact
in the event of an emergency.

e. Though the compound has been checked for mines and
unexploded ordinance (UXO),there remains the remote possibility
that a UXO or mine could remain. While in Afghanistan, do not
touch anything suspicious, avoid picking up souvenirs, and
immediately report any suspicious device to RSO personnel.
Outside the compound, red rocks are uncleared mine areas, while
white rocks are considered mine free areas. Be advised,
however, there remains a 10% chance that unexploded mines remain
in the mine cleared areas. For this reason, during all travel
in Kabul or out of the city, travelers should remain on hard
surface roads at all times.

NEUMANN