Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07AMMAN5049
2007-12-30 12:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

WELCOME CODEL PRICE

Tags:  OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN JO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAM #5049/01 3641236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301236Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1293
INFO RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 3451
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT PRIORITY 0530
RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 0022
RUEHYN/AMEMBASSY SANAA PRIORITY 0627
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 4763
UNCLAS AMMAN 005049 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR H AND RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN JO
SUBJECT: WELCOME CODEL PRICE

REF: STATE 169292

UNCLAS AMMAN 005049

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR H AND RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN JO
SUBJECT: WELCOME CODEL PRICE

REF: STATE 169292


1. (SBU) Embassy Amman warmly welcomes the visit of Codel
Price to Amman, Jordan from January 9-12, as requested
reftel. All visitors should carefully review this message,
especially the threat assessment at paragraph 9.


2. (SBU) On October 1, 2007, the Department of State
electronic country clearance (eCC) application was deployed
for all U.S. Government travelers. eCC is the official
channel to request country clearance. All agencies and
visitors are requested to use eCC to request country
clearance in the future.


3. (SBU) Control officer for this visit is Hanan Cohen,
Political Officer. Contact numbers are: office:
962-6-590-6594 and mobile: 962-79-548-9142. The Embassy's
after-hours telephone number is 962-6-590-6500.


4. (SBU) Hotel reservations have been made at the Grand Hyatt
(tel 962-6-465-1234 or fax 962-6-465-1634) for the nights of
January 9-11. Cost is at a rate within per diem; breakfast
is included in the room rate. Due to security concerns in
Jordan (paragraph 8),TDY personnel are assigned hotels on a
rotational basis. Therefore, Embassy Amman will make the
final decision on hotel accommodations for all visitors. The
Embassy will provide expeditor assistance upon arrival and
departure.


5. (U) Valid visas are required for entry into Jordan. Visas
may be obtained at Queen Alia airport though not at all land
border crossings; however, Embassy Amman suggests visitors
obtain their visas prior to arrival, as there can be long
queues for visa issuance at the airport. Money can be
exchanged at Queen Alia airport or in the delegation's
control room.


6. (U) 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
its visit. Direct charge costs include, but are not limited
to: American and LES overtime (for such services as airport
expediting, cashier accommodation exchange, control room
staffing, representational event support),travel and per
diem costs incurred by post personnel in support of visitor's
field travel, rental of vehicles and other equipment, long

distance telephone calls, office supplies, gasoline and other
vehicle maintenance costs, departure tax and other airport
fees. Post will not provide service if fiscal data is not
provided for the direct charges. For TDYers remaining at
post over 30 days, there is a charge for ICASS support
services. This charge is for the following ICASS services:
Basic Package, CLO and Health Services. Agencies will not be
billed until the accumulated invoice cost for TDY support
exceeds $2,500 for the fiscal year. If your sponsoring
agency is not signed up for ICASS services at post, please be
prepared to sign a Memorandum of Understanding 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 TDYer, 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
TDYer should bring this documentation with him/her 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.


7. (U) HEALTH: H5N1 avian flu was confirmed in poultry in
Jordan in March 2006, and in the same month, the Government
of Jordan confirmed a human case of H5N1 avian flu in a
person who was infected in Egypt and traveled to Jordan while
sick. The World Health Organization declared Jordan to be
free of avian flu in May 2006. There have been no confirmed
cases of avian flu in people or birds in Jordan since the
summer of 2006. Further cases of avian flu in both people
and birds in Jordan remain possible. For this reason and for
normal health precautions, visitors are encouraged to avoid
live poultry, poultry farms, and any dead birds. Visitors
should use hand sanitizer and wash hands frequently.
Travelers should also patronize restaurants having high
standards for food safety and hygiene, and ask that poultry
and egg products be cooked thoroughly.

Although Jordan does not pose any unusual health hazards for
visitors, the quality of health care facilities is not up to
the U.S. or European standards, particularly outside of
Amman. As medications on the local economy are often in
short supply, visitors should bring sufficient medications to
post for their chronic medical problems. Immunizations
should be current for Tetanus and Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and

B. Visitors should drink bottled water rather than tap
water. Food in the hotels and most restaurants is safe to
eat, but some of the smaller local restaurants do not always
observe proper food handling procedures.

Only those personnel covered under the State Department's
medical program and who have a valid medical clearance for
Jordan are eligible for a medical evacuation at USG cost.
All other visitors are advised to have their own medical
evacuation insurance to cover evacuation by air ambulance.
Otherwise it will be necessary to ensure that the respective
agency will cover any costs related to a medical evacuation.
All local hospitals take major credit cards.


8. (U) SECURITY CLEARANCE AND BUILDING ACCESS: In compliance
with State Department regulations and Embassy policies,
visitors requesting unescorted access to the Embassy compound
should inform RSO Amman of their security clearance level (if
any) and should name the agency that granted that clearance.
Telegrams containing this information should include the
"ASEC" tag to ensure distribution to the RSO.

Electronic devices: RSO approval must be obtained before any
electronic device is brought into the Embassy. Privately
owned laptops and personal computers, peripherals, diskettes,
and tapes are prohibited in all mission facilities.
Cellular/mobile phones and palm pilots are prohibited in
controlled access areas.

Travelers with USG-owned unclassified laptops or notebook
computers, peripherals, diskettes, and tapes must receive
RSO/IMO authorization before being granted access to U.S.
Mission buildings. USG-owned classified computers must be
sent to post via classified diplomatic pouch. Classified
equipment must bear external USG bar-code inventory numbers
and classification markings commensurate with the highest
level of information processed on the system. Questions
concerning other types of electronic devices and magnetic
media may be directed to the RSO and IMO.

Mandatory personal security training: Per 04 STATE 66580,
all employees traveling to post for 30 days or more (whether
PCS or TDY) must have completed the mandatory personal
security training (State Department Security Overseas Seminar
or equivalent) before arriving at post. Agencies must
provide the Chief of Mission with certification that this
training will be completed prior to the employee's travel.
Failure to do so will result in denial of country clearance.


9. (U) THREAT ASSESSMENT: The threat of terrorism remains
high in Jordan. Transnational terrorist groups, as well as
less sophisticated local elements, have demonstrated the
capability to pose threats in Jordan. The Al-Qaida in Iraq
network is of particular concern for terrorist activities
against U.S. and Government of Jordan (GOJ) targets in
Jordan. The Al-Qaida in Iraq network claimed responsibility
for the November 9, 2005 bombings of three international
hotels in Amman, which killed 60 people and injured over 100.
Pedestrian suicide bombers wearing explosive vests carried
the bombs into the hotels. Al-Qaida in Iraq also claimed
responsibility for the Aqaba rocket attacks on August 19,
2005 targeting a U.S. naval ship, which killed one Jordanian
soldier and wounded another. The assassination of American
diplomat Larry Foley outside his west Amman residence on
October 28, 2002 was also attributed to Al-Qaida in Iraq
leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, who was killed in Iraq in June

2006.

In addition, there has been a series of confirmed terrorist
threats and disrupted terrorist plots targeting U.S. or
Jordanian interests in Jordan. In November 2006, the GOJ
arrested four men who were planning to use a taxi cab to
identify and assassinate an American. In the same month, the
GOJ arrested three men who were reportedly plotting to attack
the U.S. Embassy and assassinate President Bush during his
visit to Jordan. In February 2006, the GOJ disrupted a
terrorist cell plotting to attack Queen Alia International
Airport. In November 2005, the GOJ indicted six men for
planning to carry out attacks against Americans at hotels and
bars in Amman and Aqaba. In August-September 2005, four
militants were arrested for plotting assassinations of
Americans in Jordan. In July 2005, GOJ authorities arrested
17 men who had planned to assassinate GOJ officials and
Americans in Jordan; the group was reportedly linked to
Al-Qaida in Iraq. In February 2005, four men were arrested
for plotting attacks against GO
J officials, tourists and five-star hotels. In the same
month, another group was disrupted while plotting to attack
liquor stores in Amman and foreign tourists in Aqaba.

Terrorists often do not distinguish between U.S. government
personnel and private citizens. Terrorists may target areas
frequented by Westerners, such as tourist sites, hotels,
restaurants, bars, nightclubs, liquor stores, shopping malls,
transportation hubs, places of worship, expatriate
residential areas, and schools. In light of these security
concerns, U.S. citizens are urged to maintain a high level of
vigilance, to be aware of their surroundings, and to take
appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. It
is especially important for travelers to be unpredictable by
varying their times and routes and to maintain a low profile.
Moreover, U.S. citizens are urged to avoid contact with any
suspicious or unfamiliar objects and to immediately report
the presence of such objects to the authorities. U.S.
Government personnel overseas have been advised to take the
same precautions.

Anti-American and anti-Western sentiment exists in Jordan and
has been sparked on occasion by incidents in the region,
particularly those related to Israeli/Palestinian issues and,
to a lesser extent, Iraq. This may lead to random acts of
violence against Westerners. On September 4, 2006, a gunman
fired on foreigners at a popular tourist site in central
Amman, killing one and injuring six.

Travelers are advised to avoid any demonstrations or large
gatherings of people. Many demonstrations occur near mosques
after Friday prayers. Consequently, special sensitivity and
caution should be exercised at or near mosques and religious
sites during holy days and the Friday Muslim Sabbath.
Demonstrations also often take place at universities and
refugee camps.

Crime is generally not a serious problem for travelers in
Jordan, but petty crime is prevalent in the downtown Amman
Hashimiyah Square area and near the Roman Amphitheater. In
the narrow streets of the older parts of the city center,
crowded conditions invite pickpockets and other petty
criminals. Travelers are urged to be more guarded in these
areas so that they do not present easy opportunities for
criminals.

In central and west Amman, there have been reports of thieves
snatching pedestrians' purses from moving vehicles and then
driving off. In some instances, victims were injured when
they were unable to free themselves from their purses. When
carrying a purse, it would be wise to conceal it if possible,
to avoid walking near the road within reach of passing
vehicles, and to walk against the flow of traffic.

Jordanian police have warned the public to exercise vigilance
when leaving banks or ATM machines, as thieves have
reportedly preyed upon persons soon after using these
services.

Western women both visiting and residing in Jordan report
sexual harassment, stalking, and unwelcome advances of a
sexual nature; there have been isolated reports of assault.
Women are advised to take reasonable precautions including
dressing conservatively and not traveling alone. Modest
attire should be worn in deference to local custom.


10. (U) TRAVEL GUIDELINES: American citizens and official
visitors traveling in Jordan should exercise caution, be
alert, and stay informed of regional and local events that
could quickly impact the security environment in the country.
It is also recommended to maintain a low profile and not
establish predictable patterns of movement, even if only
visiting for a short period. Yellow taxis are widely used
throughout the country and for the most part without adverse
incidents occurring. Still, there have been confirmed
reports of single females being assaulted or verbally
harassed by taxi drivers. The Embassy Internet website has a
list of radio controlled taxi companies that the Government

of Jordan has advised us vet their drivers at:

http://amman.usembassy.gov/int dev/Pa amman/
docs/taxi list.pdf

For further information, see the State Department's Consular
Information Sheet for Jordan at:

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis pa tw/
cis/cis 1149.html

and link from that site to the most recent Public
Announcements on Travel in the Middle East and South Asia and
the most recent Worldwide Caution.

Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.gov.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/

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