COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR STAFFDEL WILLENS (JUL 4-12)

UNCLAS LIMA 002586

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/AND, H
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - LISA WALLACE



E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR STAFFDEL WILLENS (JUL 4-12)

REF: SECSTATE 106151


1. (U) The Embassy grants country clearance for the visit of
Staff Member Todd Willens, House Resources Committee, to
Peru, July 4-12, 2006. The purpose of the visit is to attend
the Twenty-second meeting of the Animals Committee, which is
part of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Reservations at the Swissotel have been confirmed, at a rate
of $125 taxes.
Control Officer will meet and assist Mr. Willens at the
airport on July 4. Per email with Department, no other
assistance is required.

When departing Lima by air, the Republic of Peru imposes an
airport departure tax on any outbound passenger of 30.25 USD
for international flights and 6.05 USD for domestic flights.


2. (U) POINT OF CONTACT, TELEPHONE NUMBERS, ADDRESS AND
COMPUTER USE:

Point of contact for the visit is Acting Economic Counselor
Samantha Carl-Yoder, office telephone number
(51)(1)618-2411, cellular telephone number
(51)(1)9-632-0869, home telephone number (51)(1)422-5102,
e-mail yodersc@state.gov. Embassy after-hours direct line
for Marine Security Guard is (51)(1)618-2936. The Embassy
address is Av. La Encalada, Cuadra 17, in the Monterrico Sur
Section of Lima.

State Department TDY visitors requiring OpenNet-Plus Systems
access during their stay should directly contact George K.
Philpott, ISO, in advance of their arrival so a computer
account can be created if needed.

Any employee who intends to bring U.S. Government portable
microcomputers (laptops) for use in CAA or non-CAA areas must
notify post's ISSO and RSO in advance of travel. 12 FAH-6
h-314 prohibits the installation or use of any privately
owned computer in a government building where classified
information is processed or stored. Accordingly, post policy
prohibits Personal Electronic Devices (PED),Personal Digital
Assistants (PDA) e.g. Palm Pilots, MP-3 players, etc. within
the Chancery facility. Such devices are never authorized in
CAA spaces and are not authorized connectivity within OpenNet
unclassified or classified networks, or stand-alone

SIPDIS
classified PCs. Personnel who wish to bring PDAs authorized
under the Department of State's Secure Wireless Extended
Enterprise Technology (SWEET) program into the Chancery must
notify Post's ISSO and RSO in advance of travel. Find
information concerning the SWEET program at
http://sweet.irm.state.gov. Please refer to 03 STATE 286036
for detailed guidance regarding Post's Information Systems
security requirements.


3. (U) PASSPORT/VISAS:

To ensure full protection for travelers, the mission requires
that all visitors eligible for official/diplomatic passports
use them with appropriate visa. Travelers should not use
tourist passports. In exceptional cases where official
travelers must use tourist passports/visas, specific
authorization must be obtained in advance. Foreign citizens
bearing tourist passports who come to Peru to work, either
officially or in technical or cultural cooperation, must
enter the country with an official work visa.

DOD personnel on personal travel must use a tourist passport.
If official visitors arrive via military ship, a passport is
not required unless the individual is required to exit Peru
via commercial or military air. If an official visitor is a
Peruvian National serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, a valid
Peruvian (maroon) passport is absolutely necessary in all
cases in order for the individual to enter or exit Peru.
Proof of residency in the U.S. (green card) is required for
return to the U.S. All visas for onward travel should be
obtained prior to arrival in Peru.


4. (SBU) SECURITY:

Post reminds all TDY personnel requesting country clearance
for temporary duty of 30 days or more of the requirement to
complete mandatory personal security training effective
January 1, 2005. Personnel requesting country clearance for
periods of 30 days or more must certify that they have or
will complete the required training prior to their travel, or
may request a waiver as per the above policy. For extended
TDY requests, individual bureaus (not the Bureau of Human
Resources) are responsible for ensuring that their staff, in
all employment categories (Civil Service, Foreign Service,
WAE, PSC, etc.),meets the training requirement. See 04
State 66580 for more information about the mandatory personal
security training requirement.

Country clearance is granted for travel to non-Embassy
restricted areas only. Visitors who plan to travel to
Embassy restricted areas must request Post approval upon
arrival. A list of these areas can be obtained from the RSO.
It is imperative that the Mission be notified immediately of
delays or changes in plans or itinerary. Personnel must not
change hotels without first notifying control officer. The
State Department has designated Peru as high threat for
indigenous terrorism, medium threat for transnational
terrorism and political violence, and critical threat for
crime. Two terrorist groups operate in Peru: Sendero
Luminoso (SL) and Movimiento Revolucionario Tupac Amaru
(MRTA). Both organizations continue to be potential threats
and have targeted U.S. facilities in the past. Due to GOP
efforts, the activities of the SL and MRTA have been greatly
reduced and are now largely confined to rural areas. Overland
travel outside of Lima and other large cities during the
hours of darkness is prohibited due to unsafe road conditions
and the threat of armed criminals. Terrorist groups operate
with relative impunity in some interior areas and are known
to target vehicular traffic. Crime is a serious problem in
metropolitan Lima and popular tourist areas such as Arequipa,
Cuzco, and Machu Picchu. Most crimes involve petty theft,
pickpocketing, bag slashing, grab-and-run, and theft from
occupied and unoccupied vehicles. More violent crimes
include armed robbery, carjacking, and choke-and-rob.
Criminals frequently react violently when resistance is
encountered. In almost all instances it is advisable not to
offer resistance. Most areas of downtown Lima are dangerous
and should be avoided during the hours of darkness.

Visitors are cautioned to remain alert to their surroundings
at all times, particularly when in crowded areas, such as on
public transportation, at
outdoor markets, and at tourist sites. Countermeasures
against crime also protect against terrorism. Special care
should be exercised at the Jorge Chavez International Airport
in Callao. Criminals frequent this area, especially at
night, and are known to target foreigners both inside and
outside the terminal.

Security briefings are mandatory for all official visitors to
Peru. Briefings are given in the RSO Conference Room at the
Embassy, on Wednesdays, promptly at 9:00 a.m.


5. (U) ICASS TDY Policy and Action Request:

Each visitor, regardless of length of stay, must
bring/forward fiscal data to pay for direct costs of the
visit. Each agency, organization, or visiting delegation
will be charged for the actual costs attributed to their
visit. Direct charge costs include, but are not limited to:
American and LES staff overtime (e.g., expediter,
accommodation exchange, representational event support),
field travel-lodging and M&IE by Embassy employees, vehicle
rentals, long distance telephone calls, equipment rentals,
office supplies and all other costs that are directly
attributable to the visit. Also, for TDYers over thirty (30)
days, there is a charge for ICASS support services. If your
sponsoring agency is not signed up for ICASS services at
post, please be prepared to sign a MOU for ICASS support
services upon arrival. The agency should provide post with a
written communication, generated by the traveler's
headquarters that confirms the agency will pay ICASS charges
for the TDYers, provides the agency ICASS billing code the
TDY support charges should be applied to, and authorizes the
traveler to sign the ICASS invoice generated by the TDY
module. Where travel is urgent, the TDYers should bring this
documentation with them to ensure there are no interruptions
in the provision of service. Post will not provide any
service to a TDYer staying in excess of thirty days without
provision of this documentation before day 31 of the TDY.


6. (U) HEALTH CONCERNS:

Travelers to the jungle areas of Peru should have up-to-date
yellow fever vaccine and malaria prophylaxis for
chloroquine-resistant strains of malaria. Primary prevention
against malaria and dengue fever includes avoiding the
mosquito vectors of these diseases: using insect repellant,
appropriate protective clothing, and bed netting. Hepatitis A
and B vaccinations are strongly recommended for all persons
before coming to Peru. Rabies is present in country, and
those individuals whose work and/or leisure activities might
expose them to wild animals or feral dogs should consider
receiving the rabies vaccine. Travelers diarrhea/dysentery is
quite common in Peru. Visitors should substitute bottled
beverages for potentially contaminated water. Fish,
shellfish, and vegetables should not be eaten unless well
cooked, and all food should be eaten while still hot. Fruits
with a peel are generally safe, provided they are peeled
before being eaten. Typhoid vaccine is also recommended.

Cholera is endemic in Peru and disease rates reach high
levels from January to May--the same food and bottled water
precautions apply. Travelers planning to travel to high
altitude areas of Peru, such as Cuzco, Machu Picchu, and
Puno, should consult with their health care provider first,
and be fully aware of the health dangers of high altitudes
and measures to minimize these dangers.


7. (SBU) MEDICAL CLEARANCES:

All Employees who are at post in TDY status for more than 60
days are required to have a medical clearance from the Office
of Medical Services. Contractors who are not direct-hire USG
employees do not have access to the Embassy Health Unit.


STRUBLE