US embassy cable - 05MADRID2102

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 002102 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, OTRA, PREL, SP, OSCE, Country Visits 
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR US DELEGATION TO THE OSCE 
CONFERENCE ON ANTI-SEMITISM AND OTHER FORMS OF INTOLERANCE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 100397 
 
1.  Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to 
the following individuals:  Governor George Pataki, Head of 
Delegation, Major Gary Berwick, Chairman Charles Gargano, 
David Catalfamo, Director of Communications, Salvatore 
Graven, Travel Aide, Jeffery Lovell, Senior Policy Advisor to 
the Governor, Michael Gragin, Executive Assistant to the 
governor for Jewish Affairs, Fabricio Plaskocinski, NYS 
Trooper. Governor's Detail, Henry Kanlong, NYS Trooper, 
Governor's Detail, Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, Public 
Member, Archbishop of Denver and Commissioner of the US 
Commission on International Religious Freedom, Mr. Sander 
Gerber, Public Member, Chairman and CEO of XTF Group and 
member of the National Board of Directors of AIPAC, Rabbi 
Marvin Hier, Public Member, Founder and Dean of the Simon 
Wiesenthal Center, Rabbi David Zwiebel, Public Member, 
Executive Vice President for Government Affairs of Agadath 
Israel America, Ambassador Edward O'Donnell, Special Envoy 
for Holocaust Issues, Mr. John Becker, EUR/OHI, Ms. Kari 
Johnstone, DRL/PHD, Ms. Heather Troutman, EUR/RPM, Michael 
Cromartie, USCIRF Chairman, Nina Shea USCIRF Commissioner, 
and Cathy Cosman USCIRF Staff Member, to travel to Madrid, 
Seville, and Cordoba, Spain from June 6-10, 2005.  The 
purpose of this visit is to attend the OSCE Conference on 
Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance in Cordoba, 
Spain. 
 
2.  Per guidance from EUR/RPM Cordoba Conference Coordinator 
Heather Troutman, Embassy has made hotel reservations at the 
Hotel Conquistador, Calle Magistral Gonzalez Frances, 15, 
Cordoba (TEL:  34-957-481-102; FAX: 34-957-474-677) and the 
Hotel Melia Sevilla, Dr. Pedro de Castro, 1, Sevilla (TEL: 
34-95-442-1511; FAX: 34-95- 442-1608).  The Conquistador 
single room rate is EUR 166.27, breakfast and VAT included. 
Please note that the Conquistador rate is above the per diem 
allowance and that travel orders should authorize actual 
lodging expenses.  The Melia Sevilla single room rate is EUR 
90.95, breakfast and VAT included.  The Melia Sevilla rate is 
within the per diem allowance. 
 
3.  Per guidance from EUR/RPM Conference Coordinator Heather 
Troutman, Embassy will rent one bus vice the two vans 
requested in reftel.  One additional Embassy owned van will 
also be available to facilitate delegation movements. 
 
4.  Per reftel request, the June 7 no-host delegation dinner 
will be held at 2000 hours at the Los Marqueses Restaurant, 
Tomas Conde, 8, Cordoba (TEL: 34-957-202-094).  Dinner cost 
will be EUR 50 per person, tax included.  Restaurant requires 
guaranteed number of participants no later than June 3.  Ms. 
Troutman will collect the requisite funds from participants 
prior to the meal and will pay EUR 50 per person based on the 
number reserved in advance (not withstanding later 
cancellations or no shows). 
 
5.  Hotel Control/Meeting room will be rented and configured 
per reftel request using a mix of Embassy and rental 
machines. 
 
6.  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. 
 
7.  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