BELGIUM: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR THE VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000494

SIPDIS


SIPDIS

DIR ONDCP FOR MIDDLETON, STATE FOR INL, INL/PC, INL/AP,
EUR/ERA, L/LEI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2018
TAGS: BE EUN OVIP PREL SNAR
SUBJECT: BELGIUM: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR THE VISIT
OF OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY DIRECTOR JOHN P.
WALTERS AND DELEGATION

REF: 242042Z MAR 08 DIR ONDCP WASHINGTON DC

Classified By: INL COUNSELOR JAMES P. MCANULTY FOR REASONS IN
SECTIONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS GRANTED FOR THE APRIL 9-11, 2008
VISIT TO BRUSSELS, BELGIUM OF JOHN P. WALTERS, DIRECTOR OF
THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY (ONDCP) AND
DELEGATION, INCLUDING BRIAN BLAKE, ONDCP DEPUTY CHIEF OF
STAFF; PATRICK M WARD, ONDCP ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR
SUPPLY REDUCTION; THOMAS RILEY, ONDCP ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC AFFARIS; JENNIFER L. DEVALLANCE, ONDCP PRESS
SECRETARY; AND BRICE MIDDLETON, ONDCP POLICY ANALYST TO VISIT

SIPDIS
WITH EUROPEAN UNION AND NATO OFFICIALS REGARDING US
COUNTERNARCOTICS ISSUES.


2. 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. ALL NUMBERS CAN
BE REACHED THROUGH THE TRI-MISSION 24 HOUR SWITCHBOARD
32-2-508-2111.


3. THE MISSION IS SETTING UP APPROPRIATE MEETINGS AS
REQUESTED. HOTEL RESERVATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AND
TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN AIRPORT, HOTEL, AND MEETINGS WILL BE
PROVIDED.


4. 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.


5. 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.


6. 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.


7. 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

BRUSSELS 00000494 002 OF 002


E-MAIL MESSAGE FROM YOUR SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR OR ISSO TO
"EMBASSY BRUSSELS E-MAIL-DL" ISC OFFICE BRUSSELS.


8. ACTION REQUEST: FISCAL DATA. EACH VISITOR, REGARDLESS
OF LENGTH OF STAY, MUST BRING/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 LES 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.
FOR TDYERS REMAINING AT POST FOR OVER 30 DYS, THERE IS A
CHARGE FOR ICASS SUPPORT SERVICS. THIS CHARGE IS FOR THE
FOLLOWING ICASS SERVICES: BASIC PACKAGE, CLO AND HEALTH
SERVICES. AGENCIES WILL NOT BE BILLED UNTIL THE ACCUMULTED
INVOICE COST FOR TDY SUPPORT EXCEEDS $2,500 FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR. IF YOUR SPONSORING AGENCY IS NOT SIGNED UP FOR ICASS
SERVICES AT POST, PLEASE BE PREPARED TO SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING FOR ICASS SUPPORT SERVICES UPON ARRIVAL. THE
AGENCY SHOULD PROVIDE POST WITH A WRITTEN COMMUNICATION,
GENERATED BY THE TRAVELER'S HEADQUARTERS, THAT CONFIRMS THE
AGENCY WILL PAY ICASS CHARGES FOR THE TDYER, PROVIDES THE
AGENCY ICASS BILLING CODE, THE
TDY SUPPORT CHARGES SHOULD BE APPLIED TO, AND AUTHORIZES THE
TRAVELER TO SIGN THE ICASS INVOICE GENERATED BY THE TDY
MODULE. WHERE TRAVEL IS URGENT, THE TDYER SHOULD BRING THIS
DOCUMENTATION WITH HIM/HER TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO
INTERRUPTIONS IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICE. POST WILL NOT
PROVIDE ANY SERVICE TO A TDYER STAYING IN EXCESS OF 30 DAYS
WITHOUT PROVISION OF THIS DOCUMENTATION BEFORE DAY 31 OF THE
TDY.

GRAY
.