COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR USEU BRUSSELS AMBASSADOR C. BOYDEN

UNCLAS MADRID 000176 SIPDIS SIPDIS USEU BRUSSELS FOR AMBASSADOR C. BOYDEN GRAY; CS/OIO/EUR/PBUCHER/JBREIDENSTINE/3133 E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A TAGS: MGT ALL EUN SP SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR USEU BRUSSELS AMBASSADOR C. BOYDEN GRAY TO TRAVEL TO MADRID, SPAIN. REF: BRUSSELS 00021 ¶1. COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS GRANTED FOR USEU BRUSSELS AMBASSADOR C. BOYDEN GRAY TO VISIT MADRID, SPAIN Q DURING THE PERIOD 13 Q 14 MARCH 2007 Q 2 NIGHTS. ¶2. THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT IS TO DELIVER REMARKS AT THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN SPAIN TRANSATLANTIC ECONOMY CONFERENCE. ¶3. CONTROL OFFICER WILL BE SENIOR COMMERCIAL OFFICER JIM WILSON. SCO WILSONQS CONTACT DETAILS FOLLOW: EMAIL Q JIM.WILSON@MAIL.DOC.GOV OFFICE PHONE Q 34 91 308 1529, AND CELL PHONE 34 699 439 977. ¶4. THREAT ASSESSMENT: IN GENERAL, SPAIN IS SAFE. HOWEVER, MADRID, BARCELONA AND OTHER LARGE CITIES IN SPAIN Q INCLUDING RESORT/CONVENTION AREAS SUCH AS BENIDORM Q 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 PASSPORTQS 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 EMBASSYQS 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 STATEQS WEBSITE (HTTP://WWW.STATE.GOV) AND THE U.S. EMBASSYQS 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. (USCS/JWILSON/JORTEGA). AGUIRRE