COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL FOR CONGRESSIONAL STAFF

UNCLAS RIYADH 002044

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AFIN SA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL FOR CONGRESSIONAL STAFF
MEMBER BRADLEY BOWMAN

REF: 2007 STATE 131712

NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia welcomes and
grants country clearance for Professional Staff Member
Bradley Bowman from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to
visit Riyadh from October 26-30, 2007 (reftel).


2. (U) The Mission must directly charge all visit support
costs. Country clearance is expressly conditional on advance
receipt or assurances of complete fiscal data covering all
support expenses for all visitors and delegation members.
Please see Para 6 for details.

U.S. Mission support is REQUIRED for all USG travelers to
Saudi Arabia. All transportation must be performed in U.S.
Mission armored vehicles and TDY visitors may only stay in
RSO-approved lodging. Please note security requirements in
Para 8.


3. (SBU) Mission Control Officer will be Laura Sheehan,
Political Attache. She will meet Mr. Bowman upon arrival and
transportation will be provided. Contact numbers are:
Embassy MSG Post 1 - (966-1) 488-3800, Ext. 4111; Embassy
Motorpool - (966-1) 488-3800, Ext. 4252; Control Officer
Office (966-1) 488-3800, Ext. 4673; Fax (966-1) 483-0042;
Home (966-1) 488-4217; Mobile Phone (966-50) 329-9754 (0
replaces 966 when dialing within country); and unclassified
e-mail address: SheehanLEP@state.gov.


4. (SBU) Lodging has been arranged within per diem at the
Intercontinental Hotel for check in on Friday, October 26 and
check out on Tuesday, October 30. The confirmation number is

159790. Credit card or cash is acceptable at local hotels.
Please be advised that all lodgings have a no show fee of a
one night stay, and cancellation(s) must be made within 72 in
advance of arrival. Please note that the allowance for
lodging in Riyadh is USD 200.00 and MI&E is USD 98.00 per
night.

(U) Intercontinental Hotel Details:

Address -

Al Mazaar Street
PO Box 3636
Riyadh 11481
Saudi Arabia

Telephone No. -
(966-1) 465-5000

FAX No. -
(966-1) 465-78339

Room Rate including breakfast and service fees (no tax is
charged in Saudi Arabia) - approximately USD 153.00 per night.


5. (SBU) Sponsoring office shall issue visitors a mobile
phone and provide the number to the Embassy switchboard.
Please note that travelers are required to have an active
functioning mobile phone at all times. Please also note that
if the traveler has a Blackberry phone, it will work in Saudi
Arabia.

Standard Advice to Travelers
--------------


6. Visit Typical Expenses

a. (U) VIP: We calculate the average cost per day/per
person to be approximately USD 428.00 for VIP visitors with a
special agenda above the rank of Office Director to any post
in Saudi Arabia. Actual costs will be charged to the fiscal
data provided.

(U) Typical costs include, but are not limited to, American
and Locally Employed Staff's overtime, holiday pay and
premium pay as applicable, field travel by Embassy personnel,
transportation costs, vehicle rental, telephone installation
and service, equipment rental, printing expenses, supplies,
and any other costs that can be directly attributed to the
visit.

b. (U) Operational Support: Typical costs include overtime
for Locally Employed Staff, overtime and mileage for motor
pool if after hours transportation required, cell phone and
any other costs that can be directly attributed to the visit.

c. (U) Expeditor Services: TDY personnel requesting
expeditor services will be charged USD 45.00 or 175 SAR per

person. This service is to be paid upon arrival at the
Embassy's travel office. A receipt will be provided. Should
expediting services be requested for departure, this request
must be made 72 hours in advance if at all possible, and also
be paid in advance with the Embassy's travel office.


7. TDY of 30 Days or Longer

a. (SBU) Certification that travelers remaining at post for
30 days or longer have completed the appropriate, mandatory
overseas personal security training, prior to arrival at post
(State 66580, March 25, 2004). Waivers to this requirement
may only be granted by the Chief of Mission. Requests should
be sent to Charge D'Affaires Michael Gfoeller or Acting
Deputy Chief of Mission David Rundell.

b. (U) For TDYers remaining at post over 30 days, there will
be a charge for ICASS support. If your sponsoring agency has
not signed up for ICASS services at post, please be prepared
to sign a MOU for ICASS support services upon arrival. The
agency should provide post with a written authorization,
generated by the traveler's headquarters, that confirms the
agency will pay ICASS charges for the TDYer, provide the
agency ICASS billing code, and authorize the traveler to sign
the ICASS invoice generated by the TDY module. Where travel
is urgent, TDYers should bring this documentation with them
to ensure there will be no interruption in service. Post
will not provide service to a TDYer in excess of 30 days
without this documentation prior to day 31 of the TDY. For
each sponsoring agency that sends a series of TDYers for less
than 30 days, post will add total TDY days and if the total
exceeds 30 days, count them as a single TDY.

c. (U) The Department of State Medical Unit recommends
vaccination against meningitis for all visitors to Saudi
Arabia. All employees, including WAEs and Civil Service
employees who are in TDY status for more than 60 days
(cumulatively) in a calendar year, are required to have
up-to-date medical clearances from the Office of Medical
Services at Class 1 or Class 2 levels in order to receive
full State Department medical benefits (3 FAM 1931.3, c, e).


8. (SBU) Security: As a result of the continuing terrorist
threat in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates
General in Saudi Arabia became one-year unaccompanied posts
effective August 12, 2004.

(SBU) All incoming personnel (TDY or PCS) must receive an
RSO-approved security brief prior to or upon arrival. The
Control Officer designated in the country clearance cable is
responsible for ensuring the appropriate brief is obtained.
For TDY personnel with stays of less than 96 hours and where
travel is limited to Riyadh with nearly all visit activity
occurring within the Diplomatic Quarter, an RSO-written brief
provided in paper or electronic form
to the visitor by the Control Officer will satisfy the
requirement. For all other circumstances, the Control
Officer must provide the traveler the paper or electronic
brief before or upon the visitor's arrival, PLUS arrange for
an appropriate security briefing session with the RSO.

(SBU) Travel is performed only in Embassy vehicles. Use of
taxis, private cars, hotel shuttles, and public
transportation for all travel within the city is not
authorized.

(SBU) Travelers to Saudi Arabia are advised that their hotel
rooms and any telephones used may be monitored during their
stay in the Kingdom. Travelers should report any unusual
occurrences to the Embassy or Consulate General RSO.

(U) On December 6, 2004, there was an armed attack on the
U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, resulting in casualties among the
non-American staff and damage to Consulate facilities. Due
to such targeted attacks against American facilities and
citizens, resulting in deaths, injuries and kidnappings, and
the continuing serious threat to their safety while in Saudi
Arabia, the Department of State continues to warn U.S.
citizens to defer travel to Saudi Arabia.

(SBU) TDYers are reminded of the potential for further
terrorist actions against U.S. citizens abroad, including in
the Persian Gulf region. USG employees who travel to Saudi
Arabia are required to follow all security precautions as
prescribed by the Regional Security Officer (RSO) including
the use of armored vehicles. From time to time, the U.S.
Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia may restrict the
travel of official Americans or suspend public services
for security reasons.

(SBU) Although counter-terrorism efforts have succeeded in
diminishing terrorist capabilities in Saudi Arabia, terrorist

groups continue to target housing compounds, hotels, methods
of transportation, and commercial establishments where
Westerners can be found. Saudi Government facilities are
also targets as demonstrated by the December 29,2004
attempted bombing of the Ministry of Interior. In addition
to car bombs and armed assaults involving multiple gunmen
against such facilities, terrorists have also used ambush
attacks to kidnap and/or assassinate individual Westerners.

(SBU) These incidents argue strongly that U.S. citizens in
Saudi Arabia should maintain a low profile, keep travel to a
minimum, vary travel routes and times, and treat any mail
from unfamiliar sources with suspicion. American citizens
are also cautioned to remain alert and aware of their
surroundings while moving about the city.


9. (SBU) The Embassy approves the use of computers, laptops,
and digital cameras at post in accordance with 12 FAM 600
established regulations. Stand-alone use of laptops will be
allowed with the standard caveat that nothing be connected to
DOS systems. Computers, laptops and digital cameras must
stay outside of CAA areas. Prior notification of the use of
cameras must be approved by the RSO. It should be noted that
Saudi law, especially as it is interpreted in the capital of
Riyadh, rigidly controls photography. We strongly urge
visitors to avoid taking photographs in any public place
without the express and prior involvement of the RSO.


10. (SBU) Visas: Visitors are also reminded that valid
visas for Saudi Arabia are required at all times. Travelers
are advised that submitting passports to the Saudi
authorities that contain Israeli visas or evidence of travel
to Israel may result in difficulties securing a Saudi visa or
gaining entry to the Kingdom. Official travelers to Saudi
Arabia should request a two-year, multiple-entry visa from
the nearest Saudi Embassy or Consulate.


11. (SBU) Passports: Visitors are reminded to keep a copy
of their passport with them at all times while in Saudi
Arabia as it may be needed for identification. The original
should be kept in a safe place.


12. (SBU) Prohibited Items: Strict Islamic law is the
foundation of the Kingdom's customs and practices. The norms
for public behavior are extremely conservative. Saudi Arabia
outlaws the importation, sale or use of alcohol in the
Kingdom, and visitors must not attempt to bring any alcohol,
pork products or printed materials that may be construed as
pornographic or proselytizing into the Kingdom. Penalties
include confiscation, fines and may extend to denial of entry.


13. (SBU) Drugs: Saudi Arabia strictly prohibits the
importation of controlled substances, including narcotics,
methamphetamines, depressants and hallucinogens). The
penalty for violation of this law is death.

(SBU) Prescription drugs in small quantities, clearly
labeled, should cause no difficulties. Problems arise when
they are in large quantities, unlabeled, or lack
documentation (such as a copy of the prescription),or when
they are deemed illicit by Saudi authorities. Many drugs
sold in nearby countries without a prescription are
considered illegal here. Individuals are arrested for
possession of these drugs.


14. (U) Dress: While visiting the Kingdom, women and men
should dress conservatively. Guidance issued by the Saudi
Embassy in Washington states that non-Muslim women are not
required to wear an abayya, but should dress conservatively
(loose fitting skirts/dresses that fall well below the knee
with long sleeves and a high neckline) when in public. This
is also the position of the U.S. Embassy.

(SBU) However, while Embassy personnel are not required to
wear the abayya and/or hijaab (scarf) on official business,
many Western women choose to wear the abayya and hijaab while
conducting their personal affairs in order to avoid unwanted
attention and/or harassment by the Mutawwa'in (religious
police). Upon request, the Embassy will loan female visitors
abayyas for the duration of their stay in the Kingdom.

(SBU) It is the policy of the Embassy to support a woman in
her decision to wear or not wear the abayya and/or hijaab.
FRAKER