BERLIN: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO U.S.

UNCLAS BERLIN 000801 SIPDIS DEPT FOR JEANENE HARRY SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT ASEC GM OTRA PARM PREL SUBJECT: BERLIN: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO U.S. DELEGATION FOR GPWG REF: SECSTATE 51693 ¶1. Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance to Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Andrew Semmel, Foreign Affairs Officer David L. Evans, and Senior Policy Advisor Gerald Stacy to attend the G-8 Global Partnership Working Group meeting from April 21-25, 2007. Per reftel, hotel reservations at the Berlin Hilton are confirmed. ¶2. The control officer for this visit will be Global Affairs Officer Richard Crandell, who can be reached at office telephone 49(30)8305-2309, fax 49-30-8305-2339, home phone 49(30)2300-4475, mobile phone 49 (0) 173-945-4720 and email CrandellR@state.gov. ¶3. Post understands that all delegation members hold Top Secret security clearances. SIPDIS ¶4. Neither Post nor German authorities have any information that could affect the safety and security of your visit to Germany. ¶5. The Department of State assesses the risk in German cities with a U.S. diplomatic presence as high for transnational terrorism and low to medium for criminal activity. The Mission Germany Regional Security staff stays up to date on all terrorism and crime-related issues within Germany and evaluates how these issues might affect both official and private Americans either living or visiting Germany. ¶6. Sporadic incidents of violence occur throughout various areas of Germany that are linked to right-wing extremist groups, targeting immigrant and refugee communities. Left-wing groups are also active throughout Germany staging large protests, normally without violence. Protesters rarely cause property damage, but there have also been isolated cases of arson against American interests. The recent trend of anti-globalization related protests and demonstrations seen throughout Europe is present in Germany as well. These demonstrations have turned violent in the past in some European countries. ¶7. While there have been no recent significant domestic terrorist attacks, Germany continues to be a potential venue for transnational terrorism. A heightening of the Middle East confrontation, U.S. arrest and jailing of Middle East terrorists, or a serious incident between the U.S. and a terrorist-supporting nation could change the terrorist threat assessment at short notice. These and other indictors continue to be closely monitored by U.S. officials. The arrest of key Usama bin Laden (UBL) supporters, the discovery that the lead cell for the September 11th attacks was located in Germany, the ongoing terrorist trials currently taking place, along with the German law enforcement community continuing to make arrests of suspected terrorists in all parts of Germany, adds credence to concerns about possible UBL initiatives in Germany. ¶8. Visitors to Germany should practice the same common-sense personal security practices that are an everyday part of life in U.S. cities. German law enforcement agencies are professional and extremely supportive to the U.S. government and all of our concerns. ¶9. The countrywide police emergency telephone number is 110. The fire department and ambulance service may be reached at telephone 112. The U.S. embassy in Berlin reports current threat information for American citizens at 030-832-9233. ¶10. Assessment updates are available from mission-wide Regional Security Offices in Berlin at 49-30-8305-1400, Frankfurt at 49-69-7535-2444, or Munich at 49-89-2888-625. TIMKEN JR