COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY JOHN D.

UNCLAS HANOI 000054 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT OVIP VM SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY JOHN D. NEGROPONTE AND DELEGATION TO VIETNAM, JANUARY 18-20, 2008 REF: STATE 002723 ¶1. Embassy Hanoi warmly welcomes and grants country clearance for Deputy Secretary John D. Negroponte and delegation to travel to Hanoi, January 18-20, 2008. ¶2. Hanoi Control Officer: Brian Aggeler, Political Counselor Tel: (84-4)850-5000 ext. 5119 Cell: (090) 346-0114 Fax: (84-4)850-5098 Unclass E-mail: AggelerB@state.gov SIPDIS Ambassador, Control Officer and Embassy vehicles will meet Deputy Secretary Negroponte and delegation at the airport. SIPDIS ¶3. Hotel reservations have been made at the Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake. Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: (84-4) 270-8888 Fax: (84-4) 270-7120 www.hanoi.intercontinental.com 4.(SBU) Security Information: a. (SBU) Vietnamese security personnel may place foreign visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms, telephone conversations, fax transmissions, and e-mail communications may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched. b. (U) Visitors to Vietnam must exercise appropriate caution and be alert to their surroundings with regard to their personal security. Cities in Vietnam have the typical crime problems of other large cities throughout the world. Pickpockets and petty crime occur and appear to be increasing; though, violent crimes such as armed robbery are still relatively rare in Vietnam. Drug use is becoming more and more of a problem in Vietnam. The Embassy recommends that travelers use only metered taxis. Traffic in Vietnam can appear chaotic and there is a real threat of being involved in a traffic or pedestrian accident. Pedestrians unaccustomed to walking across the street in Hanoi, HCMC or other Vietnamese cities should be extra cautious. c. (U) Visitors should also be aware of the State Department's Consular Information sheet for Vietnam and the most recent Worldwide Caution Public Announcements, which are available via the Internet at http://travel.state.gov MICHALAK