US embassy cable - 04MADRID1007

UNCLAS MADRID 001007 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOE FOR NNSA:DILL, HATCHETT AND HQ: VERRY AND GREEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG, KNNP, PARM, OTRA, SP, Country Visits 
SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR DOE/NNSA KILMARTIN, 
GERRARD AND KOSTOROWSKI 
 
REF: STATE 64418 
 
1.  Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance to 
DOE/NNSA/SLD William E. Kilmartin, John E. Gerrard, and David 
G. Kostorowski, to travel to Madrid March 28-31 to conduct 
meetings with Government of Spain officials regarding the 
Megaports Initiative. 
 
2.  As requested reftel, reservations have been made at the 
Hotel High Tech Gran Avenida.  Rate per night is 80 Euros 
plus 7% tax, breakfast not included. Due to the short notice 
of your request for an interpreter Embassy is having 
difficulty finding one.  Embassy will inform you when one is 
hired. Funding information will be used for hotel and 
interpreter. 
 
3.  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 (http://www.state.gov) and the U.S. Embassy'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. 
ARGYROS