COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVED FOR VISIT OF TIP

UNCLAS MEXICO 000160 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM KWMN OTRA PHUM PREL MX SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVED FOR VISIT OF TIP REPORTS COORDINATOR MARK TAYLOR REF: STATE STATE 02192 ¶1. Post welcomes and grants country clearance to Mark Taylor, Senior Coordinator for Reports in the Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (GTIP) for travel to Mexico City and Ciudad Juarez from January 14-17, 2007. Purpose of the visit to Mexico is to hold consultations with Government of Mexico officials charged with anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) responsibilities and to attend a USAID-sponsored conference on TIP in Ciudad Juarez. ¶2. Post control officer for the visit is Political Officer Walter R. Miller, telephone 52 (55) 5080-2000 ext 4806; fax 52 (55) 5080-2247; cell 202-468-7440; e-mail MillerWR@state.gov. ¶3. An Embassy driver will be at the Mexico City airport to meet Mr. Taylor upon his arrival on January 14 and deliver him to the hotel Sheraton Maria Isabel. Mr. Miller will accompany Mr. Taylor to meetings in Mexico City on January 15-16. An Embassy driver will bring Mr. Taylor to the airport for his flight to Ciudad Juarez on January 16. Mr. Taylor will be staying at the Hotel Lucerna, in Cuidad Juarez, on the night of January 16, with confirmation code "JBDIZS". Consulate Ciudad Juarez agreed to provide transportation for Mr. Taylor in Ciudad Juarez. All extra costs incurred during Mr. Taylor's visit will be charged to the following fund cite: 19/07/0113/2074710318/011810/2705. ¶4. The Department of State has designated Mexico City as a critical threat post due to the high level of crime and the ineffectiveness and corruption of Mexican law enforcement. Robberies at gunpoint, pick pocketing, purse snatching, taxicab abductions and quick-kidnappings continue to cause us concern. Any hotel selected for you by the embassy will be safe, but it is still wise to store all valuables in a room safe or in a safe deposit box. Leaving expensive-looking jewelry at home and wearing a plastic watch will significantly improve your security profile. The Embassy cautions travelers that they should never hail a cruising taxi (or "libre" taxi) but should instead use airport-sanctioned taxis, taxis operating from fixed sites ("sitios),or a cab called for you by your hotel. ¶5. Mexico does have health concerns. You should take normal tourist precautions with regard to drinking water, eating fresh fruits, vegetables and salads. Some employees react to the pollution and high altitude; so take things slowly at first. Travelers to Mexico City may require some time to adjust to the altitude (7000 ft.),which can adversely affect blood pressure, digestion, sleep, and energy level. Individuals with sickle cell trait should consult with the appropriate medical unit or their personal physician before commencing with travel. Short-term (TDY) assignments carry an added risk because of the lack of time to acclimatize. Dehydration, stress, or illnesses compound the basic risks of high altitude. ¶6. We encourage you to access further security and health related information as well as post access regulations for the region you are visiting at the Mission Mexico intranet homepage at http://mexicocity.state.gov/IntraMissMex.html or http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity GARZA