Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07USEUBRUSSELS1407
2007-04-26 15:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:  

BELGIUM: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR THE VISIT

Tags:  OVIP SNAR PREL EUN NATO BE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBS #1407/01 1161531
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 261531Z APR 07
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RHEHOND/DIR ONDCP WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT PRIORITY
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY
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)

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
.