This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 009219 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA 
DEPT FOR G/TIP (MILLER, TAYLOR, PATEL), NEA/ARPI (SHUKAN), 
INL, DRL, PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KWMN OTRA PGOV PHUM PREL SA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR JANUARY 20-23, 2006 
G/TIP VISIT 
 
REF: SECSTATE 212957 
 
¶1.  The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia welcomes the visit of 
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) 
Director Ambassador John R. Miller, G/TIP's Senior 
Coordinator for Reports Mark Taylor, and G/TIP's Reports 
Officer for NEA Gayatri Patel, and grants to them country 
clearance for a January 20-23, 2006, visit to Riyadh 
(reftel).  Mr. Taylor and Ms. Patel arrive on January 20 
while Ambassador Miller arrives on January 21.  All depart 
post on January 23.  The purpose of the travel is to: 
strengthen the bilateral dialogue with the SAG on TIP issues; 
hold consultations with post programs; obtain fresh data for 
the 2006 TIP Report; and discuss TIP trends and possible 
reforms with SAG officials and other interested parties. 
 
¶2.  Mission control officer will be TIP coordinator political 
attache Michael Boynton.  He will meet upon arrival and 
transportation will be provided.  Contact numbers are Embassy 
MSG Post 1 - (966-1)488-3800 ext. 4111; Embassy motorpool 
-(966-1) 488-3800 ext. 4252; control officer home (966-1) 
482-3597, office ext.4097, cell phone 050-306-5570.  Lodging 
in Riyadh has been arranged at the Holiday Inn Olaya, tel. 
966-1-461-2000, fax 966-1-461-2595, rate is $106 which 
includes 15 percent service fee, taxes, and breakfast.  Per 
diem for Riyadh is $153 lodging and $97 MI&E. 
 
---------------------------- 
Standard Advice To Travelers 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Visas:  Visitors are reminded that valid visas for Saudi 
Arabia are required at all times.  Official travelers to 
Saudi Arabia should request a two-year, multiple-entry visa 
from the nearest Saudi Embassy or Consulate.  The SAG will 
not issue a visa if a passport shows travel to/from Israel. 
 
¶4.  Security:  As a result of the continuing terrorist threat 
in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in 
Saudi Arabia became one-year unaccompanied posts effective 
August 12, 2004. 
 
¶5. On December 6, 2004 there was an armed attack on the U.S. 
Consulate in Jeddah, resulting in casualties among the 
non-American staff and damage to consulate facilities. Due to 
such targeted attacks against American facilities and 
citizens, resulting in deaths, injuries and kidnappings, and 
the continuing serious threat to their safety while in Saudi 
Arabia, the Department of State continues to warn U.S. 
citizens to defer travel to Saudi Arabia. 
 
¶6. TDYers are reminded of the potential for further terrorist 
actions against U.S. citizens abroad, including in the 
Persian Gulf region. U.S.G. employees who travel to Saudi 
Arabia are required to follow all security precautions as 
prescribed by the RSO including the use of armored vehicles. 
From time to time, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi 
Arabia may restrict the travel of official Americans or 
suspend public services for security reasons. 
 
¶7. Although counter-terrorism efforts have succeeded in 
diminishing terrorist capabilities in Saudi Arabia, terrorist 
groups continue to target housing compounds, hotels, methods 
of transportation, and commercial establishments where 
Westerners can be found. SAG facilities are also targets as 
demonstrated by the December 29, 2004 attempted bombing of 
the Interior Ministry. In addition to car bombs and armed 
assaults involving multiple gunmen against such facilities, 
terrorists have also used ambush attacks to kidnap and/or 
assassinate individual Westerners. 
 
¶8. These incidents argue strongly that U.S. citizens in Saudi 
Arabia should maintain a low profile, keep travel to a 
minimum, vary travel routes and times, and treat any mail 
from unfamiliar sources with suspicion.  American citizens 
are also cautioned to remain alert and aware of their 
surroundings while driving or riding. 
 
¶9. Effective January 1, 2005, country clearance approval for 
all TDY visits of 30 days or longer requires advance 
certification to post that appropriate mandatory overseas 
personal security training will be completed prior to travel. 
 If time or urgency of mission does not allow for the 
completion of this mandatory training, the country clearance 
request should note the circumstances and request a waiver 
from the Chief of Mission. 
 
¶10. In addition, all visitors to the U.S. Mission to Saudi 
Arabia are required to contact the RSO within 48 hours of 
their arrival, to schedule a post-specific security briefing, 
mandatory for all PCS and TDY personnel, regardless of the 
duration of your stay. 
 
¶11.  Travelers to Saudi Arabia are advised that their hotel 
rooms may be monitored during their stay in the Kingdom. 
Travelers should report any unusual occurrences to the 
Embassy or Consulate General RSO. 
 
¶12.  Medical:  The Department of State medical unit 
recommends vaccination against meningitis for all visitors to 
Saudi Arabia.  All employees, including WAEs and Civil 
Service employees who are in TDY status for more than 60 days 
(cumulatively) in a calendar year, are required to have 
up-to-date medical clearances from the Office of Medical 
Services at Class 1 or Class 2 levels in order to receive 
full State Department medical benefits (3 FAM 1931.3, c,e). 
 
¶13.  Drugs:  Saudi Arabia has strict penalties for violators 
of its narcotics laws.  Prescription drugs in small 
quantities, clearly labeled, should cause no difficulties. 
Problems arise when they are in large quantities, unlabeled, 
or lack documentation (such as a copy of the prescription), 
or when they are deemed illicit by Saudi authorities.  Many 
drugs sold in nearby countries without a prescription are 
considered illegal here.  Individuals are arrested for 
possession of these drugs. 
 
¶14.  Customs:  Strict Islamic law is the foundation of the 
Kingdom's customs and practices.  The norms for public 
behavior are extremely conservative.  Saudi Arabia outlaws 
the importation, sale or use of alcohol in the Kingdom, and 
visitors should not bring any pork products or printed 
materials that may be construed as pornographic in their 
personal luggage. 
 
¶15.  Dress:  Men and women should dress in a conservative 
fashion when in public.  In particular, women should wear 
long dresses (well below the knee) with long sleeves and 
avoid trousers.  Embassy women do not wear abayyas (long 
black coat) when out on official business and women TDY 
visitors when on official business also should not wear one. 
 
¶16. The guidance issued by the Saudi Embassy in Washington 
states that non-Muslim women are not required to wear an 
abayya, but should dress conservatively (loose fitting 
dresses that cover well below the knee with long sleeves and 
a high neckline) when in public; that is also the position of 
the Embassy.  However, some Western women, particularly those 
living in the Riyadh area and in the more conservative 
central region, choose to wear an abayya 
when in public places and carry a headscarf in order to avoid 
harassment by the religious police known as the mutawwa'in. 
However, even with the abayya and scarf, harassment still 
occurs.  The Embassy will support a woman in whatever 
personal choice she makes on the 
issue of wearing or not wearing an abayya or headscarf. 
 
¶17.  Costs:  Embassy Riyadh direct charges TDYers or each 
office, agency or visiting delegation for all costs incurred 
in support of official travel.  These costs include American 
and Foreign Service National employees' overtime, holiday pay 
and premium pay as applicable, field travel by Embassy 
personnel, transportation costs, vehicle rental, telephone 
installation and service, cell phone rentals and telephone 
calls, equipment rental, printing expenses, and any other 
costs that can be directly attributed to the visit.  Please 
be prepared to provide fiscal data upon arrival to cover all 
potential costs. 
 
¶18.  Electronic Items in the Embassy:  The Embassy approves 
the use of the computers and digital cameras with the 
standard caveat that nothing is connected to DOS systems. 
Stand-alone use of laptops is allowed, as are digital 
cameras, but computers must stay outside of the CAA areas. 
Prior notification of the use of cameras must be approved by 
the RSO. 
 
¶19.  Embassy visitors are reminded to keep their passports 
with them at all times while in Saudi Arabia as they may be 
needed for identification. 
GFOELLER