COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR SHEM SYNERGY VISIT TO POST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NOGALES 000154 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ABLD AMGT KSAF ACOA SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR SHEM SYNERGY VISIT TO POST REF: A. A. E-MAIL BETWEEN E.J. ZEHLER AND L.A. BASSETT AND ¶B. B. I. L. PARNELL ¶C. C. AND S.E TUNTLAND AND G.L. BOORTZ NOGALES 00000154 001.2 OF 002 1.- Post welcomes and grants Country Clearance to Terry F. Carraway, from OBO/OM/SHEM Date of visit to Nogales is June 10-13, 2007. Purpose of visit is to provide on site consultation, training and assistance to post in implementing 15 FAM requirements. 2.- Post has made reservations at the Fiesta Inn, in Nogales Sonora. Reservation details follow. FIESTA INN HOTEL CALZADA IND. NUEVO NOGALES 3, NOGALES 84092 PHONE: 011-52-631-311-6000 Confirmation number is: 2078350440 Directions from Tucson airport to Fiesta Inn: Take Valencia Road after exiting airport in Tucson to I-19 South. Remain on I-19 for 56 miles. Exit a AZ- 189/Mariposa Road, Exit 4. Turn right onto Mariposa Road and continue until you reach the US/Mexico Border. This port of entry closes at 10 p.m. Cross the border, bear to the right and enter through the Nogales-Centro lane. A green light will indicate that you can proceed. A red light indicates that you will need to turn right into Mexican Customs to be inspected. Continue on the road you entered Mexico, going under an over-pass. You will be on Blvd Luis Donaldo Colosio/Pereferico. Proceed about 7 miles. The road will dead end into Carretera Internacional intersection. Turn right, heading south toward Hermosillo. Continue until you see a large hotel on the right, Hotel Plaza. This is not your hotel. Continue approximately 3 miles. Turn right after the Volkswagen dealership and when you see a large sign for the Fiesta Inn. ¶3. Post does not/not have the resources to meet and greet. Tucson is one and a half hours drive from Nogales. Public transportation is not readily available and there are security concerns with the limited taxi services available. Post believes the only reasonable option is that travelers rent a car upon arrival at the Tucson airport. Please reserve a vehicle that has Mexican insurance coverage and anti-theft devices. Post has made hotel reservations at the only RSO approved hotel in Nogales, Sonora. It is a good, business level hotel with a restaurant, however it is far removed from the center of town with no restaurants or entertainment nearby. The hotel does have a shuttle service that can be requested to the Consulate but is only available between the hotel and Consulate during weekday commute hours. 4.- Post authorize USG portable computer and electronic equipment as requested in Reftel paragraph 7. ¶5. Consulate hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Post is a lock and leave post. Post can not guarantee after hour's access, arrangements will need to be made on a case by case basis with Post Security Officer. ¶6. Your POC will be Management Officer Matilda F. Gawf who can be reached by calling the consulate at 631-311-8153. After hours the Management Officer can be reached by calling 631-1302-3273 or by calling the consulate after-hours duty phones, which are (from the U.S.): 011-52-1631-318-0723, 1-520-604-0378, 01-520-980-0412 or (from Mexico): 01-1631-318-0723, 001-520-604-0378, 001-520-980-0412. ¶7. The Regional Security Officer (RSO) covering Nogales is stationed at the Consulate General in Tijuana. If you have any urgent security-related problems or questions, please call the Consulate at 011-52-664-622-7400 and ask for the RSO Office. The after-hours/weekend extension is 7501. The RSO office is available to you 24 hours per day/7 days a week. RSO Juan Ramirez cell phone is 011-52-664-698-8558. 8.- HEALTH CONCERNS: Mexico does have health concerns. Although you are in close proximity to the United States, you should still take normal tourist precautions with regard to drinking water, eating fresh fruits, vegetables and salads. Please note that health insurance is an important consideration. Travelers are responsible to ensure that they have adequate health coverage while in Mexico. 9.- We encourage you to access further security and health NOGALES 00000154 002.2 OF 002 related information as well as Post access regulations for the region you are visiting at the Mission Mexico intranet homepage: . SHARPE