COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR JEFFREY DELAURENTIS TO

UNCLAS MEXICO 000740 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC OTRA UNSC MX SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR JEFFREY DELAURENTIS TO MEXICO CITY MARCH 12-14, 2009 FOR CONSULTATIONS ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL ISSUES REF: USUN NEW YORK 000237 ¶1. Post welcomes and grants country clearance to Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Minister Counselor, to travel to Mexico (March 12-14, 2009). The purpose of the visit is for consultations with Mexican Government officials on United Nations Security Council isues. ¶2. Your point of contact for this visit will be James Merz, Deputy Political Counselor, and he can be reached on ext 2265 or via e-mail at MerzJP@state.gov. ¶3. Hotel reservation has been confirmed at the Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel, within per diem for March 12-13, 2009 and confirmation number is 356781066 ¶4. The Department of State has designated Mexico as a critical crime threat post due to the high level of crime and the ineffectiveness and corruption of Mexican law enforcement. Robberies at gunpoint, pick pocketing, purse snatching, taxicab abductions and quick-kidnappings continue to cause us concern. Any hotel selected for you by the embassy will be safe, but it is still wise to store all valuables in a room safe or in a safe deposit box. Leaving expensive-looking jewelry at home and wearing a plastic watch will significantly improve your security profile. The Embassy cautions travelers that they should never hail a cruising taxi (or "libre" taxi) but should instead use airport-sanctioned taxis, taxis operating from fixed sites ("sitios"),or a cab called for you by your hotel. ¶4. Mexico does have health concerns. You should take normal tourist precautions with regard to drinking water, eating fresh fruits, vegetables and salads. Some employees react to the pollution and high altitude; so take things slowly at first. Travelers to Mexico City may require some time to adjust to the altitude (7000 ft.),which can adversely affect blood pressure, digestion, sleep, and energy level. Individuals with sickle cell trait should consult with the appropriate medical unit or their personal physician before commencing with travel. Short-term (TDY) assignments carry an added risk because of the lack of time to acclimatize. Dehydration, stress, or illnesses compound the basic risks of high altitude. ¶5. We encourage you to access further security and health related information as well as post access regulations for the region you are visiting at the Mission Mexico intranet homepage at http://mexicocity.state.gov/IntraMissMex.html or the Mexican Embassy internet homepage at http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / BASSETT