US embassy cable - 05MADRID1124

UNCLAS MADRID 001124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO DHHS/NIH/FIC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, OTRA, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR NIH/FIC DRS. 
MERIKANGAS AND GRANT 
 
REF: STATE 51604 
 
1.  Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance to Dr. 
Kathleen Merikangas, Senior Investigator, National Institute 
of Mental Health (NIMH), and Dr. Paul Grant, Staff Clinician, 
NIMH, to travel to Barcelona, April 11-19, to attend and give 
individual presentations at the 12th International Symposium 
about current issues and controversies in Psychiatry: 
Comorbidity. 
 
2.  Embassy understands that no assistance is necessary. 
 
3.  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. 
 
4.  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