VZCZCXYZ0029
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #6258/01 2821535
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091535Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1872
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE 1406

UNCLAS CAIRO 006258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM OTRA JO EG
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE CABLE FOR DRL/IRF WARREN COFSKY 
 
REF: STATE 166923 
 
¶1. Post welcomes the visit of DRL/IRF Warren Cofsky.  Country 
clearance has been granted for October 8-14, 2006 visit to 
Cairo to hold meeting pursuant to promoting religious freedom 
with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry 
of Religious Affairs, appropriate non-governmental 
organization leaders and religious leaders.  Please note 
ICASS requirement for fiscal data in paragraph 18 for all 
visitors requiring Embassy support. 
 
¶2. Hotel reservations have been made within per diem. 
 
¶3. Political Officer Roger Kenna will be the control officer 
for the visit and can be reached at: 
 
Work:  (20)(2) 797-2749 
Cell:  (20)(12) 216-5410 
Home:  (20)(2) 753-9363 
 
If Embassy contact is needed after hours, call the Embassy 
operator at (20)(2)797-3300.  The work week is Sunday through 
Thursday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
 
¶4. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:  A passport and visa are required. 
For travelers arriving by air, a renewable 30-day tourist 
visa can be obtained at airport points of entry for $15, 
payable in U.S. dollars.  Post recommends obtaining a visa in 
advance.  Please advise if you are unable to obtain a visa 
before arrival.  Visitors who have had trouble with their 
visa status in Egypt must obtain a visa before arrival. 
 
¶5. ARRIVAL IN EGYPT:  Post,s travel management center, 
Carlson Wagonlit, will provide "meet and assist" services and 
ground transportation from Cairo International Airport.  The 
cost is $30 each way for a party of 1-3 persons.  Payment 
needs to be in cash in U.S. dollars and is to be paid upon 
arrival to the expediter.  Checks and credit cards are not 
accepted.  Please send special requests for assistance due to 
physical handicap, heavy professional equipment, or other 
unusual circumstances to the control officer; post will 
gladly consider these requests on a case-by-case basis. 
 
¶6. ACCESS TO USG FACILITIES IN EGYPT AND SENDING OF 
CLEARANCES:  The Department of State issued Global 
Identification (GLID) badge is used for access to USG 
facilities in Egypt.  Visitors holding valid GLID badges 
should bring their badges with them.  Doing so will 
facilitate their entry into the Embassy, and other USG 
facilities.  Visitors, including TDY personnel, who do not 
have a GLID badge will be issued temporary ID cards as 
needed.  Security clearances, however, need to be included in 
all requests for country clearance in order to ensure that 
only authorized personnel have access to classified 
information. 
 
¶7. MEDICAL/HEALTH PRECAUTIONS:  Travelers to Egypt are 
cautioned to avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in 
live food markets, and any surfaces that appear to be 
contaminated with feces from poultry or other animals.  See 
more information about avian flu at 
. 
Tetanus/diphtheria immunizations should be current -- a 
booster is required every 10 years.  Rabies vaccinations are 
recommended.  Yellow fever vaccine is not required for entry 
into Egypt unless you are arriving from an infected area. 
However, the Department of State requires Foreign Service 
personnel to have an up-to-date (every 10 years) yellow fever 
vaccination for worldwide availability.  Travelers' diarrhea 
is a common problem.  Only bottled or boiled (3 minutes) 
water should be used for drinking and making ice.  Avoid 
fruits that have been already peeled, fruit without peels, 
uncooked vegetables, and salads, which can transmit 
pathogenic bacteria or parasites.  Do not consume 
unpasteurized local milk and cheese products.  Except for 
State Foreign and Civil Service staff, visitors should bring 
a copy of their medical clearance and proof of medical 
evacuation insurance.  Standard health insurance does not 
include air ambulance medical evacuation, which can typically 
cost more than $50,000. 
 
¶8. SECURITY CONCERNS:  Egypt suffered a series of deadly 
terrorist attacks in or near tourist sites in late 2004, 
2005, and 2006 ) often coinciding with major local holidays. 
 Americans should be especially vigilant in crowded tourist 
areas in the Sinai, practice good personal security measures, 
and be alert to their surroundings.  A heavy security 
presence is apparent to travelers throughout the country. 
Since October 2004, three major, coordinated terrorist 
bombings targeting the Sinai Peninsula,s tourist 
infrastructure caused many deaths and hundreds of injuries, 
mostly to Egyptian nationals.  U.S. citizens do not appear to 
have been targeted in any of these incidents, but many 
non-Egyptian tourists, including Americans, have been killed 
or injured in these attacks.  Most recently, three explosions 
in the town of Dahab on April 24, 2006, killed over 20 people 
and wounded at least another 80 people, including five U.S. 
citizens.  In July 2005, massive explosions in Sharm el 
Sheikh killed over 60 people, including one American.  In 
October 2004, three bombs detonated in Taba and two nearby 
tourist camps, killing 34 people, including one American. 
Evidence of instability in the Sinai has also been reflected 
in random attacks on vehicles transiting the interior and two 
bomb attacks on Multinational Force Observers near the Rafah 
border crossing in August 2005 and April 2006. 
 
¶9. In addition to the Sinai attacks, there were three terror 
attacks on crowded tourist destinations in Cairo in April 
¶2005.  In one, a lone suicide bomber killed three foreigners, 
including an American, at Cairo,s Khan el-Khalili Market. 
Three Americans were seriously injured in this incident. 
Prior to the October 2004 attack, there had been no terrorist 
incidents involving tourists in Egypt since the mid 1990s. 
While the Egyptian Government took effective measures against 
the perpetrators of the 2004 and 2005 attacks, the April 2006 
bombings reflect a persistent, indigenous threat of terror 
activities in the Sinai.  U.S. citizens who still plan to 
visit the Sinai in spite of the persistent threat of 
terrorist attacks, should exercise great caution.  As 
anywhere, travelers may gain a measure of safety by remaining 
particularly alert to their surroundings, by avoiding crowded 
tourist areas, and by visiting destination resorts and hotels 
with significant physical setback and security procedures. 
 
¶10. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 
2005 occurred without serious incident.  The exact terms for 
crossing the border at Rafah have not yet been determined, 
however.  Travelers seeking to cross the border are likely to 
encounter difficulty. 
 
¶11. Public demonstrations, occasionally take place in public 
areas such as Tahrir Square in Cairo and in the vicinity of 
universities and mosques.  These demonstrations are 
frequently accompanied by a heavy security presence.  Roads 
in the vicinity are often closed.  Americans are urged to 
avoid areas in which demonstrations are planned or where 
large crowds are gathering and to consult local sources to 
learn of possible demonstrations.  Travelers will gain a 
measure of safety by remaining particularly alert to their 
surroundings, by avoiding crowded tourist areas and 
suspicious objects or individuals, and by visiting resorts 
and hotels with significant physical setback.  U.S. citizens 
should make decisions based on their personal safety and 
security considerations and take extra precautions in crowded 
tourist areas throughout Egypt.  In the event of an incident, 
Americans should first take cover, and then depart the area 
of commotion immediately.  We urge visitors to monitor the 
local news and to maintain close contact with the Embassy 
throughout their visit.  Visitors who will be in Egypt for 
more than 14 days must attend a Regional Security Office 
(RSO) security briefing. 
 
¶12. AREAS OF INSTABILITY:  From time to time there have been 
occurrences of instability, or public disorder, in Cairo and 
other areas of Egypt.  Most recently, such occurrences took 
place in the Nile Valley governorates of Assiut and Sohag. 
These governorates, along with the governorates of Minya and 
Qena, were areas of extremist activity.  Therefore, before 
traveling to these governorates, official visitors must first 
notify and seek advice from their sponsoring office. 
 
¶13. CRIME:  Even though the crime rate in Egypt is low, 
travelers are advised to be especially aware of their 
surroundings, as they would in any major city.  Incidents of 
petty theft, such as purse snatching and pick pocketing, 
while not common, do occur.  Travelers are strongly cautioned 
not to leave valuables such as cash, jewelry, and electronic 
items, such as laptop computers, unsecured in hotel rooms, or 
left unattended in public places. 
 
¶14. PROTECTION OF INFORMATION AND SURVEILLANCE:  As in many 
countries, all visitors to Egypt should assume that they will 
be the subject of technical and physical surveillance. 
Visitors must secure classified information and equipment in 
an approved container located in a controlled access area at 
the Embassy.  Sensitive information can be stored at a USG 
facility in an approved container.  Contact the RSO should 
you have any questions concerning the storage of classified 
and sensitive information.  Any sensitive or classified 
materials left in hotel rooms, public places, or other 
unsecured locations will be considered compromised. 
Classified and sensitive U.S. government information cannot 
be discussed in public places, in hotel rooms, or over 
unsecured telephones or e-mails.  You should also use caution 
when communicating sensitive personal information over 
non-secure communication systems such as the telephone and 
the Internet.  Sensitive personal information contained in 
unsecured, personally owned laptop computers is also 
vulnerable to unauthorized and unwanted intrusion. 
 
¶15. INFORMATION SECURITY:  Travelers with private or U.S. 
government (USG) owned electronic devices including laptops, 
peripherals, diskettes, tapes, and other media, must receive 
RSO/ISSO authorization before these items enter Embassy 
facilities.  Classified computers must be sent to Post via 
the classified diplomatic pouch, or be hand carried by a 
non-professional diplomatic courier.  All classified 
equipment must bear external USG bar-coded inventory numbers 
and classification marking commensurate with the highest 
level of information processed on the system. 
Cellular/mobile phones and palm-pilots are prohibited in 
Controlled Access Areas.  Questions concerning other types of 
electronic devices and magnetic media may be directed to the 
RSO. 
 
¶16. CONTACTING THE RSO:  You may contact the RSO during 
working hours at 797-2208 (ext. 2208 from the Embassy 
switchboard).  After working hours, the duty RSO can be 
contacted by calling the Embassy 24-hours per day switchboard 
at 797-3300.  Visitors should also contact the RSO for advice 
and information if they intend to drive a vehicle while in 
Egypt. 
 
¶17. CONSULAR INFORMATION SHEET:  For the most current 
Consular Information Sheet and the latest travel information 
about Egypt, we recommend that all travelers visit the State 
Department's website:   or < 
cairo.usembassy.gov>. 
 
¶18. ICASS CHARGES:  Each visitor, regardless of length of 
stay, must forward fiscal data to pay for any direct costs 
incurred during the visit.  Each agency, organization, or 
visiting delegation will be charged for the actual costs 
attributed to its visit.  Such costs could include, but are 
not limited to: 
 
--  American and LES overtime (for such services as airport 
expediting, cashier accommodation exchange, control room 
staffing, representational event support); 
--  Travel and per diem costs incurred by post personnel in 
support of field travel; 
--  Rental of vehicles and other equipment; 
--  Long distance telephone calls; 
--  Office supplies; 
--  Gasoline and other vehicle maintenance costs. 
 
¶19. Have a safe trip.  We look forward to your visit. 
JONES