BELGIUM: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR THE VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 001407 SIPDIS SIPDIS DIR ONDCP FOR O'GARA, SISSON, FELDER; STATE FOR INL, INL/PC, INL/AP, EUR/ERA, L/LEI E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2017 TAGS: OVIP SNAR PREL EUN NATO BE SUBJECT: BELGIUM: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR THE VISIT OF OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY DIRECTOR JOHN P. WALTERS AND DELEGATION Classified By: INL COUNSELOR JAMES P. MCANULTY FOR REASONS IN SECTIONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS GRANTED FOR THE MAY 8-9, 2007, VISIT TO BRUSSELS, BELGIUM OF JOHN P. WALTERS, DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY AND DELEGATION TO VISIT WITH EUROPEAN UNION AND NATO OFFICIALS REGARDING US COUNTERNARCOTICS ISSUES. WE ALSO GRANT COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR VISITS BY THE ADVANCE TEAM STARTING MAY 3. ¶2. (U) THE USEU CONTROL OFFICER IS JAMES P. MCANULTY, USEU COUNSELOR FOR INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (INL) AFFAIRS. MR. MCANULTY CAN BE REACHED BY PHONE (OFFICE) 32-2-508-2672 AND (CELLULAR) 32-475-816-909. USNATO CONTROL OFFICER IS JOHN COCKRELL (OFFICE) 32-2-724-3136 AND (CELLLAR) 32-473-797-089. ALL NUMBERS CAN BE REACHED THROUGH THE TRI-MISSION 24 HOUR SWITCHBOARD 32-2-508-2111. ¶3. (U) MISSION MAILED SEVEN TRAIN TICKETS WITH THREE ADDITIONAL TICKETS ON THEIR WAY TO ONDCP AND A STAFF VEHICLE HAS BEEN REQUESTED FOR MAY 8-9. MISSION IS PREPARING A SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS, WHICH WILL BE FORWARDED SEPARATELY. ¶4. (C) HOTEL RESERVATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THE HILTON HOTEL, RUE DE WATERLOO, SWITCHBOARD TELEPHONE 32-2-504-1111, FAX 32-2-504-2211. CONFIRMATION NUMBERS, ROOM RATES AND ROOM ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE TRANSMITTED VIA E-MAIL. ¶5. (U) BELGIUM REMAINS A RELATIVELY SAFE COUNTRY BUT AS A RESULT OF THE WAR IN IRAQ, AND SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED BY ITS CITIZENS AGAINST THE WAR, AMERICAN VISITORS ARE ADVISED TO EXERCISE CAUTION AND AVOID ANTI-AMERICAN DEMONSTRATIONS. ALSO, IT IS PRUDENT NOT TO WEAR CLOTHES OR CARRY ARTICLES WITH LOGOS AND EMBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNITED STATES. BY TAKING REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS, VISITORS SHOULD ENJOY AN UNEVENTFUL STAY. HOWEVER, PURSE SNATCHING AND PICK POCKETING BY PROFESSIONAL THIEVES IS OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. IN BRUSSELS, PICK POCKETING AND PURSE SNATCHING ARE PREVALENT IN THE METRO SYSTEM, (SUBWAY, BUS, TRAM),AND AT BRUSSELS' THREE MAJOR TRAIN STATIONS, THE GARE DU NORD (NORTH STATION),GARE CENTRALE (CENTRAL STATION) AND ESPECIALLY THE GARE DU MIDI (SOUTH STATION). EXTRA CAUTION SHOULD BE USED AT THE GARE DU MIDI STATION. VICTIMS HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE BY SOMEONE WHO APPEARED LOST AND ANXIOUS TO CATCH THEIR TRAIN OR OTHERWISE DISTRACTED BY A FIRST CRIMINAL. AS THE VICTIM RESPONDS TO THE REQUEST, A SECOND PERSON STEALS LAPTOP COMPUTERS, BAGS, AND OTHER ITEMS. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE, THIS IS A NEW STRATEGY BY CRIMINAL GANGS OPERATING AT CENTRAL STATION. APPARENTLY THEY PREFER PLATFORMS 3 AND 4, USED BY TRAINS GOING TO THE AIRPORT AND OBVIOUSLY CARRYING THE BEST CATEGORY OF POTENTIAL VICTIMS. ¶6. (U) VALUABLES SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT UNATTENDED IN VEHICLES AND CAR DOORS SHOULD ALWAYS BE KEPT LOCKED WHEN DRIVING. CARRY ONLY A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CASH, CREDIT CARDS, AND ID. EXPENSIVE JEWELRY, FINANCIAL RECORDS, ADDRESS BOOKS, AND OTHER PERSONAL EFFECTS SHOULD BE LEFT AT HOME OR STORED IN A SAFE PLACE DURING YOUR VISIT. THE EMERGENCY NUMBERS FOR THE POLICE AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ARE 101 AND 100 RESPECTIVELY AND FOR CELLULAR PHONES (LOCALLY) 112. VISITORS TO BELGIUM REQUIRING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT THE BRUSSELS REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICE AT 322-508-2370. ¶7. (U) COMPUTER AND ELECTRONICS USAGE: INTER-AGENCY SECURITY STANDARDS PROHIBIT THE INTRODUCTION OR USE OF NON-USG OWNED COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE AT ALL USG DIPLOMATIC FACILITIES. CELL PHONES, PALM PILOTS, RADIOS AND OTHER CONVENIENCE ELECTRONICS ARE PROHIBITED IN ALL SECURE AREAS OF THE MISSION. TRAVELERS WHO ANTICIPATE HAVING SPECIAL NEEDS IN TERMS OF EITHER ACCESS OR COMPUTER USAGE SHOULD CONTACT THE RSO OFFICE BEFORE ARRIVING AT POST. ¶8. (U) SYSTEMS ACCESS: IF YOU ARE A DOS EMPLOYEE AND WOULD LIKE TO ACCESS OPENNET DURING YOUR VISIT (WITHOUT TAKING THE 30 MINUTE SYSTEMS SECURITY BRIEFING),PLEASE BRING CONFIRMATION THAT YOU HAVE ATTENDED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, THE "SECURITY AWARENESS BRIEFING ON OPENNET PLUS". THIS CAN BE A COPY OF THE FORM YOU SIGNED WHEN YOU TOOK THE BRIEFING, A SIGNED MEMORANDUM FROM YOUR SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR OR ISSO, OR AN E-MAIL MESSAGE FROM YOUR SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR OR ISSO TO "EMBASSY BRUSSELS E-MAIL-DL" ISC OFFICE BRUSSELS. ¶9. (U) ACTION REQUEST: FISCAL DATA. EACH VISITOR, REGARDLESS OF LENGTH OF STAY, MUST FORWARD FISCAL DATA TO PAY FOR DIRECT COSTS OF THE VISIT. EACH AGENCY, ORGANIZATION OR VISITING DELEGATION WILL BE CHARGED FOR THE ACTUAL COST ATTRIBUTED TO ITS VISIT. DIRECT CHARGE COSTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: AMERICAN AND LOCALLY EMPLOYED STAFF OVERTIME (FOR SUCH SERVICES AS AIRPORT EXPEDITING, CASHIER ACCOMMODATION EXCHANGE, CONTROL ROOM STAFFING, REPRESENTATIONAL EVENT SUPPORT),TRAVEL AND PER DIEM COSTS INCURRED BY POST PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF VISITOR'S FIELD TRAVEL, RENTAL OF VEHICLES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT, LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE CALLS, OFFICE SUPPLIES, GASOLINE AND OTHER VEHICLE MAINTENANCE COSTS, DEPARTURE TAX AND OTHER AIRPORT FEES AS APPROPRIATE. GRAY .