VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #4203/01 2941424
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211424Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7281
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0699
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 1040
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1305
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 2288
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 1699
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1295
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

UNCLAS KUWAIT 004203 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NSC FOR RAMCHAND 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL OTRA KU COUNTRY CLEARANCE
SUBJECT: KUWAIT COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR APHSCT 
FRANCES TOWNSEND, MICHELE MALVESTI, AND MICHAEL TAYLOR 
 
REF: WHITE HOUSE 
 
¶1. (SBU) Embassy Kuwait welcomes and hereby grants country 
clearance for Frances Fragos Townsend, Michele L. Malvesti, 
and Michael Taylor to travel to post per reftel. 
 
¶2. (U) This clearance is not/not valid for entry into Iraq; 
you must apply for Iraq clearance through Embassy Baghdad. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Hotel reservations to be confirmed. The per diem 
rate for Kuwait is USD 260 plus M&IE of USD 96 for a total of 
USD 356. 
An Embassy visit officer and a driver/expeditor will meet and 
assist you at the airport. 
 
Embassy point of contact is: 
 
Donald A. Blome, Political Section Chief 
Office (965) 259-1462 
Cell   (965) 968-0024 
Fax    (965) 259-1051 
Unclass e-mail: BlomeDA@state.gov 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶4. (U) Following is post's standard guidance for visitors to 
Kuwait: Kuwait now issues single-entry visas to American 
citizens on 
arrival, upon presentation of a passport. Post strongly 
advises travelers to carry some documentation on the purpose 
of their visit. 
Passengers arriving on other than commercial flights should 
anticipate extra delays, because immigration services are not 
available on the military side of the airfield and passports 
have to be carried to a different site at the airport for 
processing. 
Airport visas are valid for 90 days after arrival; anyone 
staying beyond this period must obtain an extension, which 
should be 
requested 2 weeks prior to expiration. Anyone departing 
Kuwait who has overstayed the visa will be charged a fine of 
KD 10 (US$33.50) 
per day at the airport. All travelers planning to visit Iraq 
should make sure that they obtain exit/entry stamps for each 
transit 
through Kuwait, and be aware that they will need to obtain a 
new Kuwaiti visa upon return, even after a daytrip to 
Baghdad. Failure 
to do so can result in heavy fines. If possible, travelers 
should try to obtain a multiple-entry visa before arriving in 
Kuwait. 
 
¶5. (U) Visitors are reminded that the importation of alcohol, 
pork products, personal firearms, and any 
suggestive/pornographic 
materials (videotapes, magazines or books) is strictly 
prohibited by Kuwaiti law. Kuwait is still clearing mines and 
munitions. Visitors 
must remain on major paved roads when traveling in Kuwait. 
Travel North of Jahra toward the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border is not 
authorized 
without approval from the embassy and an appropriate escort. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Threat Assessment: Kuwait is a high-threat post and 
the military threatcon is currently Charlie. We have 
increased security 
precautions at official U.S. installations in Kuwait and 
recommend that all Americans in Kuwait remain alert to their 
surroundings and 
review their personal security practices. 
 
¶7. (U) Fiscal Data: Thank you for providing fiscal data. Each 
agency, organization, delegation or visiting individual will 
be 
charged for all costs attributed to their visit. These costs 
include, but are not limited to: LES and American staff 
overtime, 
vehicle and equipment rental, office and medical supplies, 
telephone calls, expeditor services, airport transportation 
other mileage 
driven, and representational events. If fiscal data on 
visitor's travel authorization is to be used for this 
purpose, it must be 
clearly spelled out and sufficient funding must be provided. 
 
 
¶8. (U) Health Unit: All TDY or PCS personnel that would like 
to be vaccinated against smallpox should get the vaccine in 
M/MED in 
Washington before coming to post. The smallpox vaccine for 
pre-exposure vaccination is not available at post. There are 
prepositioned doses of smallpox vaccine at post to be used 
only if an actual exposure occurs. The smallpox vaccine is 
being offered to 
personnel that are coming to work at Embassy Kuwait as a 
strictly voluntary protection in case of a possible 
biological attack. 
 
¶9. (U) Health Advisory for Iraq: Remember to bring adequate 
medications and to be current on vaccines as getting medical 
supplies in Iraq has been difficult. Consistent with US 
military policy since January 2005, and having no cases of 
malaria reported 
to date in US Embassy personnel, malaria prophylaxis is not 
routinely recommended for Iraq. Vivax malaria historically 
exists in 
the northern provinces of Duhok, Erbil, Ninawa, Sulaimaniya, 
Tmim (May-October), and in the south around Basrah 
(April-November). 
There is no risk in Baghdad. Individuals that travel to those 
areas need to continue to check current embassy 
recommendations. Malaria 
must be a consideration in anyone with a fever who has 
traveled to those areas. To protect against insect bites, use 
insect 
repellants, long clothing and other measures to prevent 
insect bites. 
 
¶10. (SBU) CAA Access: Visitors who need unescorted access 
into secure areas of the mission must slug cables to the 
attention of the 
RSO, and include the level of their clearance. The cable 
should include the social security number of the requestor 
and the name of 
the agency granting the clearance. Cables should include the 
ASEC tag to ensure distribution to the RSO office and the 
Marine Security 
guard at post one. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Computer and Electronics usage: Inter-agency 
security standards prohibit the introduction or use of 
non-USG owned computer 
hardware and software at all USG diplomatic facilities. Cell 
phones, palm pilots, radios and other convenience electronics 
are prohibited 
in all secure areas of the mission. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Sensitive military information has been located 
recently on business center computers at local hotels in 
Kuwait City. All US 
Government personnel and contractors must remember that it is 
their responsibility to observe good computer and information 
security 
practices. Information processed on computers and hotel 
business centers, through e-mail correspondence or document 
creation, is 
highly exploitable. Public computers located in hotel 
business centers, internet cafes, airport lounges, etc. 
should never be used 
to process, store or disseminate sensitive information. 
Compromise of sensitive government or military information 
can result in 
serious damage to national security. Compromises of sensitive 
personal data can result in significant personal and financial 
hardship. Random checks are conducted by Embassy personnel on 
public PC's. Breaches in COMPUSEC will result in the violator 
receiving security infractions and/or security violations. 
 
¶13. (U) Embassy Kuwait's normal workweek is Saturday through 
Wednesday. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. switchboard 
numbers are (965) 259-1001, IVG: 495-0000. The after hours 
number which rings at Marine Guard Post One is (965) 538-2098. 
 
¶14. (U) The time difference with the East Coast of the United 
States is EDT plus 7 hours. 
 
********************************************* * 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
You can also access the site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. 
********************************************* * 
 
Tueller 
Tueller