SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR AMBASSADOR GREGORY

UNCLAS MADRID 002461 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE PASS TO AMB OMS JILL HINSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA SP SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR AMBASSADOR GREGORY SCHULTE REF: UNVIE VIENNA 00711 ¶1. Embassy grants country clearance and warmly welcomes UNVIE Ambassador Gregory Schulte to travel to Madrid, Spain from October 17 to October 19, 2006. The purpose of this visit is to participate in Public Diplomacy events and to meet with Embassy and government officials. ¶2. Post will coordinate assistance requested in reftel with UNVIE Ambassadors Secretary Jill Hinson. The control officer for this visit is Ken Forder, ESTH officer, he can be reached at Embassy number 91-587-2385 or via blackberry number 650-622-426. ¶3. Visitors are reminded that bearers of diplomatic and official passports coming to Spain on official business need to obtain a Spanish visa prior to arrival to Spain. ¶4. THREAT ASSESSMENT: In general, Spain is safe. However, Madrid, Barcelona and other large cities in Spain -- including resort/convention areas such as Benidorm -- attract a large number of criminals and pickpockets and frequent incidents of crime of opportunity against the unwary do occur. Carry only essential items including a photocopy of your passport's photo page. Visitors can protect themselves against crime by being street-smart, alert and aware of their surroundings. In the event you are victimized by crime, or experience any security-related incident, please contact the Embassy's Regional Security Office at 91-587-2550 or after hours at 91-587-2355. Official visitors to the Embassy in Madrid or the Consulate General in Barcelona are encouraged to receive a security briefing from the RSO office at their earliest convenience. Additional information regarding safety and security in Spain is available on the U.S. Department of State's website (www.embusa.es). Travelers are encouraged to review the most recent Worldwide Caution issued by the Department of State. As the Department of State continues to develop information on any potential security threats to Americans overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel/state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, U.S. travelers can hear recorded information by calling the Department of State in Washington, D.C. at 202-647-5225 from their touch-tone telephone, or receive information by automated telefax by dialing 202-647-3000 from their fax machine. AGUIRRE