SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR SECDEF ROBERT M. GATES

UNCLAS MADRID 000196 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE EMBASSY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC ASEC EAID KHIV OTRA SOCI SP SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR SECDEF ROBERT M. GATES AND PARTICIPATING US DELEGATES REF: A. SECDEF 022109Z FEB 07 ¶B. SECDEF 52059Z FEB 07 ¶1. Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to U.S. Delegation traveling with Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates to travel to Seville, Spain on or about February 7 to February 12. The purpose of this visit is to participate in the USNATO Defense Ministerial meetings. ¶2. Control officers for this visit are Political Officers Kevin Higgins and Rob Allison. Kevin's contact information is blackberry number 649-420-787, email address is HigginsKP@state.gov. Rob's contact information is blackberry number 609-771-513, email AllisonRS@state.gov. Embassy has coordinated visit logistics with US Mission to NATO. ¶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. Post can provide DoS email access via OpenNet (unclassified system) to State Department travelers who have active OpenNet accounts. Post can also support users who wish to access their email accounts using FOBs or OWA. Exchange 5.5 users (ask your system manager to provide Exchange server version) who have to use remote login to access their exchange email accounts will need to provide Post,s IM section with the name of their DoS Domain and their Exchange Server name and/or IP address. ¶5. 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