SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL SHELBY

UNCLAS MADRID 002299 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE H AND RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT ASEC OREP AFIN SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL SHELBY REF: SECSTATE 169176 ¶1. Embassy grants country clearance and warmly welcomes U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and accompanying delegation to travel to Spain on or about January 7 to January 9. The purpose of travel is to meet with high-level officials on a number of financial, economic, trade, and security issues with a focus on international money laundering and the financing of terrorism. ¶2. James Dudley is the point of contact and can be reached at embassy number 34 91 587 2288, blackberry number 34 620 900 161, home number 34 91 372 1560, fax number 34 91 587 2292 and email address is DudleyJL@state.gov. Proposed schedule and logistic information will be sent via email. ¶3. Hotel reservations have been made at the Hotel Hesperia located on Castellana, 57, telephone number is 34 91 210 8800 and fax number is 34 91 210 8899. The room rate is $272 and it includes VAT and breakfast. The perdiem rate for Madrid is $272 for lodging and $151 for M&IE. Reservations can be cancelled 48 hours without a penalty. ¶4. 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. ¶5. 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. ¶6. 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