ARGENTINA: CODEL ENGEL, FEBRUARY 20-23, 2008

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000174 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR H, PATRICIA DIGGS DEPARTMENT FOR RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OREP AFIN AMGT ASEC AR EC BL SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: CODEL ENGEL, FEBRUARY 20-23, 2008 REF: SECSTATE 14118 ¶1. THE AMBASSADOR WARMLY WELCOMES REPRESENTATIVE ELIOT ENGEL AND THE DELEGATION HE WILL LEAD. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP IS TO MEET WITH LEADING ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, LEGISLATORS, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS. ¶2. CONTROL OFFICER WILL BE POLITICAL OFFICER DAVID ALARID. EMAIL: ALARIDDA@STATE.GOV. EMBASSY ADDRESS: AV. COLOMBIA 4300; CELL PHONE: 15-5060-9954; EMBASSY PHONE 54-11-5777-4656 OR 4858; EMBASSY FAX 54-11-5777-4234. EMBASSY HOURS: 08:45 AM TO 05:45 PM. ADMINISTRATIVE POINT OF CONTACT WILL BE PEDRO CRUZ: E-MAIL CRUZP@STATE.GOV, PHONE 54-11-5777-4291 OR 4421. ¶3. POST HAS SECURED RESERVATIONS AT THE FOLLOWING HOTEL: MARRIOTT PLAZA HOTEL FLORIDA 1005 BUENOS AIRES C1005AAU ARGENTINA PHONE: 54 11 4318 3000 FAX: 54 11 4318 3008 ARRIVAL DATE: FEBRUARY 20, 2008 DEPARTURE DATE: FEBRUARY 23, 2008 NIGHTS: 3 17 STANDARD NON-SMOKING ROOMS AND 1 SUITE (FOR THE CONTROL ROOM) HOTEL RATE FOR STANDARD ROOM: USD 150.00 + 21% TAXES= USD 182.00 BREAKFAST IS INCLUDED. HOTEL RATE FOR SUITE IS USD 278.00 (FOR FOUR NIGHTS)+ 21%= 1,348 USD. CANCELLATION POLICY IS AS FOLLOWS: FROM FEBRUARY 13, 2008 IF MORE THAN 2 ROOMS ARE CANCELLED THE HOTEL WILL CHARGE 100 % OF THE TOTAL ROOM REVENUE. POST WILL PROVIDE MEET AND GREET ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION AND AN INTERPRETER THROUGHOUT THE CODEL'S STAY IN ARGENTINA. ¶4. VISAS: VISITORS ARE REMINDED THAT ARGENTINA REQUIRES VISAS IN US DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL PASSPORTS FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL. PERSONS TRAVELING ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS AND CARRYING DIPLOMATIC OR OFFICIAL PASSPORTS WHO ARRIVE WITHOUT A VALID VISA MAY BE DENIED ENTRY AND SENT BACK TO POINT OF ORIGIN. THE EMBASSY IS UNABLE TO SECURE ENTRY OF TRAVELERS WHO ARRIVE WITHOUT VISAS. ¶5. AIRPORT TAX: OFFICIAL VISITORS, HOLDING DIPLOMATIC OR REGULAR PASSPORTS, ARE REQUIRED TO PAY THE AIRPORT TAX. FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS, THE TAX IS US $18 PER PASSENGER (VAT-EXEMPT) OR PESO EQUIVALENT, PAYABLE IN CASH, WITH TRAVELER'S CHECKS OR CREDIT CARDS. ¶6. THREAT ASSESSMENT: ¶A. POLITICAL VIOLENCE/TERRORISM: LIAISON WITH HOST GOVERNMENT POLICE AND SECURITY FORCES INDICATE THERE IS LITTLE THREAT TO U.S. CITIZENS (OFFICIAL VISITORS, BUSINESS VISITORS, TOURISTS) FROM INDIGENOUS TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN ARGENTINA. THERE ARE NO VIOLENT DOMESTIC GROUPS CURRENTLY ACTIVE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETING U.S. INTERESTS. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF MEMBERS OF AND SUPPORT FOR EXTREMIST INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST GROUPS SUCH AS HIZBOLLAH IN THE TRI-BORDER REGION OF ARGENTINA (MISIONES PROVINCE),VISITORS HERE CANNOT DISCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY, TO INCLUDE RANDOM ACTS OF ANTI-AMERICAN VIOLENCE. ¶B. CRIME: PETTY STREET CRIME IN THE CITY OF BUENOS AIRES AND THE IMMEDIATE SUBURBS CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE. BURGLARIES IN THE MORE FASHIONABLE SUBURBS HAVE BEEN A PARTICULAR PROBLEM. VISITORS TO THE CITY OF BUENOS AIRES SHOULD BE AWARE OF PROBLEMS WITH HOTEL SECURITY (I.E. THEFTS FROM ROOM) AND PICKPOCKETS OR PURSE SNATCHING ON THE STREETS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (BUSES AND TRAINS). PICKPOCKETS OFTEN WORK IN PAIRS AND EMPLOY A VARIETY OF RUSES TO VICTIMIZE THE UNSUSPECTING VISITOR. IN RECENT YEARS, MOST CRIME AFFECTING VISITORS HAS BEEN NON-VIOLENT; AGGRAVATED ROBBERIES, SHOOTINGS, ETC., WHILE NOT COMPLETELY UNHEARD OF IN BUENOS AIRES WERE NONETHELESS UNCOMMON. RECENTLY, HOWEVER, INCIDENTS OF ARMED INVASIONS OF RESTAURANTS, SHOPS AND RESIDENCES BY CRIMINAL GROUPS ARE BEING OBSERVED WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, AND AS A RESULT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT DUE CAUTION BE EXERCISED WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT THE CITY. HOWEVER, IN GENERAL, THE CRIME LEVEL IN BUENOS AIRES IS LESS SEVERE THAN LARGE U.S. CITIES. PICKPOCKETS OFTEN WORK IN PAIRS AND EMPLOY A VARIETY OF RUSES TO VICTIMIZE THE UNSUSPECTING VISITOR. IN RECENT YEARS, MOST CRIME AFFECTING VISITORS HAS BEEN NON-VIOLENT; AGGRAVATED ROBBERIES, SHOOTINGS, ETC., WHILE NOT COMPLETELY UNHEARD OF IN BUENOS AIRES WERE NONETHELESS UNCOMMON. RECENTLY, HOWEVER, INCIDENTS OF ARMED INVASIONS OF RESTAURANTS, SHOPS AND RESIDENCES BY CRIMINAL GROUPS ARE BEING OBSERVED WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, AND AS A RESULT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT DUE CAUTION BE EXERCISED WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT THE CITY. HOWEVER, IN GENERAL, THE CRIME LEVEL IN BUENOS AIRES IS LESS SEVERE THAN LARGE U.S. CITIES. ¶7. ACCOMMODATION EXCHANGE WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE CONTROL ROOM AT THE HOTEL DURING SET HOURS ON WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY. ¶8. EMBASSY ACCESS: STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES SHOULD BRING THEIR STATE ID CARDS/BUILDING PASSES TO BUENOS AIRES TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO THE CHANCERY. ¶9. DIRECT DIAL TELEPHONE ACCESS WITH INTERNATIONAL DIALING CAPABILITY WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE HOTEL CONTROL ROOM, AND CELL PHONES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED PER DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INSTRUCTIONS. TELEPHONE NUMBERS WILL BE AS FOLLOWS: (54-11) 4326-3062,(54-11)4393-3404 AND FAX(54-11) 4393-1282. ¶10. THREE COMPUTERS EQUIPPED WITH INTERNET CONNECTION AND PRINTERS, ONE FAX MACHINE, ONE COPIER AND ONE DIRECT DIAL INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE LINE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE HOTEL CONTROL ROOM. LAPTOP COMPUTERS/DIGITAL CAMERAS/PALM PILOTS, CELLULAR PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES MAY NOT BE BROUGHT INTO THE EMBASSY WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICE. PERSONALLY OWNED LAPTOPS/PALM PILOTS MAY NOT/NOT BE USED IN THE EMBASSY. USG-OWNED LAPTOPS MAY ONLY BE USED IN CONTROLLED ACCESS AREAS (CAA) IF THE USER CERTIFIES THAT THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER THE PERSONAL CONTROL OF A CLEARED AMERICAN THROUGHOUT TRANSIT. IF THIS REQUIREMENT IS NOT MET, THE LAPTOP CAN ONLY BE USED OUTSIDE OF THE CAA. USG-OWNED PALM PILOTS ARE UNDER THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS CELLULAR PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND MAY NOT BE UTILIZED WITHIN THE CAA. AT THE EMBASSY, ALL USG ISSUED OR PERSONAL CELLULAR PHONES MUST BE LEFT OUTSIDE OF THE CAA. USE OF CELLULAR PHONES OUTSIDE OF THE CAA IS NOT RESTRICTED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IF TRAVELER IS BRINGING A CELLULAR PHONE INTO THE COUNTRY, ARGENTINE LAW REQUIRES THE TRAVELER TO DECLARE THE PHONE, INCLUDING ITS VALUE, WHEN FILLING OUT THE CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION DECLARATION FORM. ¶11. FOR FURTHER GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING TRAVEL TO ARGENTINA, TRAVELERS SHOULD CONSULT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE INTERNET SITE AT HTTP://TRAVEL.STATE.GOV/, WHICH INCLUDES THE LATEST CONSULAR INFORMATION SHEET FOR ARGENTINA. ¶12. THIS TELEGRAM HAS BEEN CLEARED BY THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION. ¶13. VISIT THE EMBASSY BUENOS AIRES CLASSIFIED WEBPAGE AT: HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/WHA/BUENOSAIRES WAYNE