US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION540

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASUNCION 000540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
UNCLAS//NO5040// 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMSG 
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE CABLE 
 
REF:  (A) MSG 121436Z APR 05 
 
1.  AS REQUESTED IN REFERENCE (A), COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS 
GRANTED FOR LTCOL R. S. BAKER  (TS) AND 1STSGT M. D. LOPEZ 
(TS) FOR TRAVEL TO ASUNCION DURING THE PERIOD OF 11 - 13 MAY 
2005 FOR THE PURPOSE OF A COMMAND VISIT.  THE CONTACT 
OFFICER FOR THE VISIT IS GYSGT ADAM H. YAKUBSIN, MSG 
DETACHMENT COMMANDER, OFFICE TEL: 595-21-213-715, EXT. 292. 
HOME TEL: 595-21-612-711. 
 
2.  HOTEL RESERVATIONS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED AT VILLA MORA 
SUITE HOTEL, (TELEPHONE: 595-21-612-715). THIS HOTEL IS 
LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 MILES FROM THE EMBASSY.  COST OF 
THE SINGLE ROOM IS $78 USD PER NIGHT WITH TAX AND BREAKFAST 
IS INCLUDED. 
 
3.  LTCOL BAKER AND 1STSGT LOPEZ WILL BE MET AT THE AIRPORT 
UPON THEIR ARRIVAL BY THE DETACHMENT COMMANDER. 
 
4.  ALL U.S. CITIZENS TRAVELING TO PARAGUAY ARE NOW REQUIRED 
TO HAVE VISAS.  AIRPORT AND BORDER VISAS ARE NOT AVAILABLE 
AT THIS TIME.  PLEASE CONTACT THE PARAGUAYAN EMBASSY OR 
CLOSEST CONSULATE FOR MORE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU 
REQUIRE A MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA. 
 
5.  IF TRAVEL PLANS INVOLVE VISITING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES 
IN THE REGION, PLEASE ARRIVE WITH APPROPRIATE VISAS AND 
OBTAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCES FROM THE APPROPRIATE U.S. 
EMBASSIES.  BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA REQUIRE VISAS FOR OFFICIAL 
TRAVELERS ON DIPLOMATIC, OFFICIAL, AND/OR PERSONAL 
PASSPORTS.  OFFICIAL VISITORS CONTEMPLATING TRAVEL TO IGUAZU 
FALLS SHOULD ADVISE THE EMBASSY BEFORE DOING SO AS WELL AS 
EMBASSY BRASILIA AND/OR EMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IF THEY PLAN TO 
CROSS INTO BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA.  TRAVELERS ARE REMINDED 
THAT IGUAZU FALLS IS LOCATED ON THE BORDER OF BRAZIL AND 
ARGENTINA, ABOUT TEN MILES EAST OF CIUDAD DEL ESTE, 
PARAGUAY, AND THAT TRAVELERS FROM PARAGUAY CROSS INTO 
BRAZIL. 
 
6.  POST RECOMMENDS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU WILL BE ONLY 
TRANSITING BRAZIL, YOU ALSO OBTAIN A BRAZILIAN VISA.  IF THE 
AIRLINE CANCELS OR DELAYS ITS FLIGHT TO ASUNCION, THEN YOU 
MAY HAVE TO STAY IN SAO PAULO FOR ONE DAY WHILE WAITING FOR 
THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLIGHT TO ASUNCION.  BRAZILIAN 
AUTHORITIES WILL NOT PERMIT YOU TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT TO GO 
TO THE HOTEL WITHOUT A VALID BRAZILIAN VISA.  U.S. CITIZENS 
MAY BE FINGERPRINTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED UPON ENTRY INTO 
BRAZIL.  THIS APPLIES TO HOLDERS OF DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL 
PASSPORTS AS WELL AS TOURIST PASSPORTS. 
 
7.  THREAT ASSESSMENT: 
 
A.  POLITICAL VIOLENCE/TERRORISM:  THERE ARE NO INDIGENOUS 
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN PARAGUAY.  THERE ARE NO 
POLITICALLY ACTIVE GROUPS OR PARTIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY 
ACTIVE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETING U.S. 
INTERESTS.  HOWEVER, GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF MEMBERS OF AND 
SUPPORT FOR EXTREMIST TERRORIST GROUPS IN THE TRI-BORDER 
REGION (ALTO PARANA AND ITAPUA DEPARTMENTS), VISITORS HERE 
CANNOT DISCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY, TO 
INCLUDE RANDOM ACTS OF ANTI-AMERICAN VIOLENCE. 
 
B.  CRIME:  PARAGUAY IS A HIGH THREAT POST FOR CRIME.  PETTY 
STREET CRIME IN THE CITY OF ASUNCION AND THE IMMEDIATE 
SUBURBS CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS 
ALIKE.  VISITORS TO THE CITY OF ASUNCION SHOULD BE AWARE OF 
PROBLEMS WITH PICKPOCKETS OR PURSE SNATCHERS ON THE STREET 
OR ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.  UNTIL RECENTLY, MOST CRIME 
AFFECTING VISITORS HAS BEEN NON-VIOLENT; AGGRAVATED 
ROBBERIES, SHOOTINGS, ETC., WHILE NOT COMPLETELY UNHEARD OF 
IN ASUNCION, WERE NONETHELESS UNCOMMON.  HOWEVER, INCIDENTS 
OF ARMED ROBBERIES OF BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES BY CRIMINAL 
GROUPS ARE OCCURRING WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, AND AS A RESULT 
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT DUE CAUTION BE EXERCISED WHEN 
TRAVELING ABOUT THE CITY. 
 
8.  THE SEASONS IN PARAGUAY ARE THE OPPOSITE OF THOSE IN THE 
UNITED STATES.  ASUNCION'S CLIMATE IS EXTREMELY HOT FROM 
NOVEMBER THROUGH APRIL AND COOL OR MILD IN JULY AND AUGUST. 
THE TRANSITIONAL SEASONS, MAY - JUNE AND SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 
ARE UNPREDICTABLE: THEY CAN BE PLEASANT OR HOT.  HEALTH 
CONDITIONS GENERALLY ARE GOOD.  THE WATER IN ASUNCION IS 
POTABLE, AND THERE ARE FEW REPORTS OF INTESTINAL OR STOMACH 
PROBLEMS.  THERE IS NO ENDEMIC HEPATITIS OR MALARIA IN 
ASUNCION ALTHOUGH OUTBREAKS OF DENGUE FEVER ARE RECURRENT. 
 
9.  AS OF 20 APRIL 2005 THE EXCHANGE RATE IS 6,270 GUARANIES 
TO ONE US DOLLAR.  PERSONAL FINANCES: OFFICIAL TRAVELERS MAY 
CASH PERSONAL CHECKS AT THE EMBASSY FOR AMOUNTS UP TO US$ 
750.00 PER WEEK; OR USE THEIR ATM CARDS AT ONE OF THE MANY 
TERMINALS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.  BECAUSE OF 
RESTRICTIONS WITH THE EMBASSY BANK, ABN-AMRO, TRAVELER'S 
CHECKS MAY ONLY BE CASHED WITH ONE OF THE LOCAL EXCHANGE 
HOUSES. 
 
10.  LAPTOPS/PALM PILOTS, CELLULAR TELEPHONES AND OTHER 
ELECTRONIC DEVICES:  LAPTOPS/PALM PILOTS MAY NOT BE BROUGHT 
INTO THE EMBASSY WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE REGIONAL 
SECURITY OFFICE.  PERSONALLY OWNED LAPTOPS/PALM PILOTS MAY 
NOT/NOT BE USED IN THE EMBASSY.  USG-OWNED LAPTOPS MAY ONLY 
BE USED IN CONTROLLED ACCESS AREAS (CAA) IF THE USER 
CERTIFIES THAT THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER THE 
PERSONAL CONTROL OF A CLEARED AMERICAN THROUGHOUT TRANSIT. 
IF THIS REQUIREMENT IS NOT MET, THE LAPTOP CAN ONLY BE 
UTILIZED OUTSIDE OF THE CAA.  USG-OWNED PALM PILOTS ARE 
UNDER THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS CELLULAR PHONES AND OTHER 
ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND MAY NOT BE UTILIZED WITHIN THE CAA. 
 
11.  SECURITY CLEARANCE: STATE DEPARTMENT POLICY REQUIRES 
THAT ALL OFFICIAL VISITORS VERIFY THEIR SECURITY CLEARANCES, 
IN WRITING, WITH THE RSO IN ORDER TO HAVE UNESCORTED ACCESS 
TO THE EMBASSY.  VISITORS WHO'S CLEARANCES ARE NOT VERIFIED, 
MUST BE ESCORTED AT ALL TIMES WHILE AT THE EMBASSY.  TDY'ERS 
MUST SCHEDULE A SECURITY IN BRIEF WITH THE SECURITY OFFICE 
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER ARRIVING AT POST.  ACCESS BADGES 
WILL NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED 
RECEIPT OF THE REQUIRED SECURITY BRIEFING. 
 
12.  DETCMDR YAKUBSIN SENDS.  KEANE