US embassy cable - 05MADRID2061

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COUNTRY CLEARANCE REQUEST FOR CODEL HASTINGS

Identifier: 05MADRID2061
Wikileaks: View 05MADRID2061 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Madrid
Created: 2005-06-01 07:45:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN SP Country Visits
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
UNCLAS MADRID 002061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP, AMGT, ASEC, AFIN, SP, Country Visits 
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE REQUEST FOR CODEL HASTINGS 
 
REF: A. A. SECSTATE 98972 
     B. B. BOWERS/GRIDDINE EMAILS 
 
1.  Embassy warmly welcomes Representative Alcee Hastings to 
travel to Madrid, Spain from June 6-10, 2005.  The purpose of 
this visit is to attend the Annual Conference on 
Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance of the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). 
 
2.  Administrative POC for CODEL Hastings is EconOff 
Stephanie Bowers, TEL: 34-91-587-2399; CELL: 
34-91-699-447-981; Home:  34-91-431-4847; E-Mail: 
BowersS@state.gov. 
 
3.  Per REF B, Embassy will pre-purchase round-trip AVE train 
tickets from Madrid to Cordoba for CODEL Hastings.  Embassy 
will also facilitate transfers between the airport and train 
stations in Madrid.  Embassy staff deployed in Cordoba will 
facilitate transfers between the Cordoba train station and 
the conference hotel. 
 
4.  Reservations have been made the nights of June 7-10 at 
Hotel Conquistador, located on c/Magistral Gonzalez Frances, 
15 (TEL:  34-957-481-102; FAX:  34-957-474-677).  Hotel rate 
is EUR 166.27 for a single room and includes breakfast and 
VAT.  Please advise soonest if CODEL will depart Cordoba 
prior to the morning of June 10. 
 
5.  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 

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