Cablegate: Country Clearance for Us Delegation to the Osce

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 002102

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC OTRA PREL SP OSCE
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR US DELEGATION TO THE OSCE
CONFERENCE ON ANTI-SEMITISM AND OTHER FORMS OF INTOLERANCE

REF: SECSTATE 100397

1. Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to
the following individuals: Governor George Pataki, Head of
Delegation, Major Gary Berwick, Chairman Charles Gargano,
David Catalfamo, Director of Communications, Salvatore
Graven, Travel Aide, Jeffery Lovell, Senior Policy Advisor to
the Governor, Michael Gragin, Executive Assistant to the
governor for Jewish Affairs, Fabricio Plaskocinski, NYS
Trooper. Governor's Detail, Henry Kanlong, NYS Trooper,
Governor's Detail, Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, Public
Member, Archbishop of Denver and Commissioner of the US
Commission on International Religious Freedom, Mr. Sander
Gerber, Public Member, Chairman and CEO of XTF Group and
member of the National Board of Directors of AIPAC, Rabbi
Marvin Hier, Public Member, Founder and Dean of the Simon
Wiesenthal Center, Rabbi David Zwiebel, Public Member,
Executive Vice President for Government Affairs of Agadath
Israel America, Ambassador Edward O'Donnell, Special Envoy
for Holocaust Issues, Mr. John Becker, EUR/OHI, Ms. Kari
Johnstone, DRL/PHD, Ms. Heather Troutman, EUR/RPM, Michael
Cromartie, USCIRF Chairman, Nina Shea USCIRF Commissioner,
and Cathy Cosman USCIRF Staff Member, to travel to Madrid,
Seville, and Cordoba, Spain from June 6-10, 2005. The
purpose of this visit is to attend the OSCE Conference on
Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance in Cordoba,
Spain.

2. Per guidance from EUR/RPM Cordoba Conference Coordinator
Heather Troutman, Embassy has made hotel reservations at the
Hotel Conquistador, Calle Magistral Gonzalez Frances, 15,
Cordoba (TEL: 34-957-481-102; FAX: 34-957-474-677) and the
Hotel Melia Sevilla, Dr. Pedro de Castro, 1, Sevilla (TEL:
34-95-442-1511; FAX: 34-95- 442-1608). The Conquistador
single room rate is EUR 166.27, breakfast and VAT included.
Please note that the Conquistador rate is above the per diem
allowance and that travel orders should authorize actual
lodging expenses. The Melia Sevilla single room rate is EUR
90.95, breakfast and VAT included. The Melia Sevilla rate is
within the per diem allowance.

3. Per guidance from EUR/RPM Conference Coordinator Heather
Troutman, Embassy will rent one bus vice the two vans
requested in reftel. One additional Embassy owned van will
also be available to facilitate delegation movements.

4. Per reftel request, the June 7 no-host delegation dinner
will be held at 2000 hours at the Los Marqueses Restaurant,
Tomas Conde, 8, Cordoba (TEL: 34-957-202-094). Dinner cost
will be EUR 50 per person, tax included. Restaurant requires
guaranteed number of participants no later than June 3. Ms.
Troutman will collect the requisite funds from participants
prior to the meal and will pay EUR 50 per person based on the
number reserved in advance (not withstanding later
cancellations or no shows).

5. Hotel Control/Meeting room will be rented and configured
per reftel request using a mix of Embassy and rental
machines.

6. Visitors are reminded that bearers of diplomatic and
official passports coming to Spain on official business need
to obtain a Spanish visa prior to arrival to Spain.

7. THREAT ASSESSMENT:

In general, Spain is safe. However, Madrid, Barcelona and
other large cities in Spain --including resort/convention
areas such as Benidorm-- attract a large number of criminals
and pickpockets and frequent incidents of crime of
opportunity against the unwary do occur. Carry only
essential items including a photocopy of your passport's
photo page. Visitors can protect themselves against crime by
being street-smart, alert and aware of their surroundings.
In the event you are victimized by crime, or experience any
security-related incident, please contact the Embassy's
Regional Security Office at 91-587-2550 or after hours at
91-587-2355. Official visitors to the Embassy in Madrid or
the Consulate General in Barcelona are encouraged to receive
a security briefing from the RSO office at their earliest
convenience. Additional information regarding safety and
security in Spain is available on the U.S. Department of
State's website (www.embusa.es).

Travelers are encouraged to review the most recent Worldwide
Caution issued by the Department of State. As the Department
of State continues to develop information on any potential
security threats to Americans overseas, it shares credible
threat information through its Consular Information Program
documents, available on the Internet at
http://travel/state.gov. In addition to information on the
Internet, U.S. travelers can hear recorded information by
calling the Department of State in Washington, D.C. at
202-647-5225 from their touch-tone telephone, or receive
information by automated telefax by dialing 202-647-3000 from
their fax machine.

MANZANARES

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