Cablegate: Country Clearance Request for Andes Regional

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #8032 2441539
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011539Z SEP 06 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 9477
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4868
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 8144
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8495
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1377

UNCLAS BOGOTA 008032

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EMBASSY PANAMA PASS TO POLOFF C. LEE; EMBASSY QUITO PASS TO
POLOFF E. MARTINI; EMBASSY CARACAS PASS COPY TO POLOFF A.
CENTER; US MISSION GENEVA PASS COPY TO RMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC OTRA PHUM PREF PREL
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE REQUEST FOR ANDES REGIONAL

REFUGEE COORDINATOR TOM TARGOS TO MONITOR IOM, PADF PROGRAMS

REF: STATE 143617

1. This is an action message. Embassy Panama see para. 4;
Embassy Quito see paras. 5 and 6.

2. Embassy Bogota requests country clearance for Tom Targos,
Andes Regional Refugee Coordinator (RefCoord), to monitor the
programs and activities of the International Organization of
Migration (IOM) and Pan American Development Foundation
(PADF) in Panama and Ecuador funded by Department's Bureau of
Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). Per reftel, on
this trip, RefCoord Targos will accompany Washington-based
PRM Program Officers Jenifer Joyce and Maura Nicholson of PRM
in Panama, August 9-11. Then, RefCoord Targos and Nicholson
will travel to Ecuador August 11-13. In addition to meetings
with IOM-PADF and a proposed field monitoring trip in Ecuador
(see para. 6), while in Ecuador and Panama, RefCoord Targos
and PRM staffers also plan to meet with Embassy Officers, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and
government officials to discuss the status and situation of
refugees in these countries.

3. RefCoord Targos' proposed travel itinerary is as follows:

09 August -- Depart Bogota at 14:55 (2:55 pm) on Avianca 60
Arrive Panama City at 16:25 (4:25 pm)
RefCoord Targos will arrange for ground
transportation to hotel.

11 August -- Depart Panama City for Quito at 19:55 (7:55 pm)
COPA 211
Arrive Quito at 21:45 (9:45 pm)
RefCoord Targos and Nicholson will arrange for ground
transportation to hotel.

12 August -- Depart Quito for Esmeraldas 13:30 (1:30 pm) on
an field monitoring trip - all logistics to be
coordinated by IOM-PADF.

13 August -- Return to Quito from Esmeraldas 16:45 (4:45 pm)

13 August -- Depart Quito at 19:05 (7:05 pm) on Avianca 78
Arrive Bogota at 20:15 (8:15 pm)

4. For Embassy Panama: RefCoord thanks Post for making hotel
reservations, meeting arrangements for September 10 and 11
and ground transportation on September 11 for Mr. Targos as
well as Ms. Joyce and Ms. Nicholson. RefCoord also thanks
Post for making arrangements to meet with Embassy, IOM-PADF
and UNHCR staff as well as GoP officials with
responsibilities related to refugee affairs.

5. For Embassy Quito: RefCoord Targos thanks Post for making
hotel reservations for the night of September 11 for Ms.
Nicholson and himself. In addition, RefCoord Targos and
Nicholson request post make arrangements for ground
transportation only for the morning of September 12. On this
morning, RefCoord plan to meet with Embassy officials and
representatives of UNHCR Quito.

6. For Embassy Quito: Note that IOM-PADF in Quito will handle
all logistics of RefCoord's travel starting the afternoon of
September 12 and for all of September 13. IOM-PADF will pick
up RefCoord Targos, Nicholson and Embassy Officer Erik
Martini up at in the afternoon on September 12 and IOM will
arrange to have them travel by plane to Esmeraldas. In
Esmeraldas, IOM-PADF will arrange hotel accommodations for
the night of September 12 as well as all logistics for a
field monitoring trip in the Esmeraldas - San Lorenzo area.
RefCoord has shared a copy of the proposed itinerary so that
travel/security arrangements with RSO in Embassy Quito can be
made. It is understood that RSO must approve the travel plan
for Nicholson, Martini and RefCoord to Esmeraldas and San
Lorenzo.

7. Targos holds diplomatic passport number 900347369, issued
June 12, 2002, which expires June 11, 2007. He has a top
secret security clearance.

SIPDIS

8. RefCoord and Embassy Bogota greatly appreciates both
Embassies' assistance.
WOOD

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