VZCZCXRO7855
RR RUEHLA
DE RUEHMD #0188 0361236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051236Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1768
INFO RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 2413

UNCLAS MADRID 000188 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE 
EB/CIP TIMOTHY FINTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA ECPS ETRD SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR AMBASSADOR DAVID GROSS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 11007 
 
¶1.  Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to 
Ambassador David Gross, U.S. Coordinator for International 
Comunications and Information Policy/EB/CIP/State, to travel 
to Barcelona, Spain on February 10 to February 14.  The 
purpose of this visit is to speak at the 3GSM World Congress. 
 
¶2.  Post understands that no assistance is required.  Consul 
General Todd Robinson can be reached at Embassy number 
93-280-2227, cell phone number 649-295-948, email address 
RobinsonTD3@state.gov. 
 
¶3.  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.  Post can provide DoS email access via OpenNet 
(unclassified system) to State Department travelers who have 
active OpenNet accounts. Post can also support users who wish 
to access their email accounts using FOBs or OWA.  Exchange 
5.5 users (ask your system manager to provide Exchange server 
version) who have to use remote login to access their 
exchange email accounts will need to provide Post,s IM 
section with the name of their DoS Domain and their Exchange 
Server name and/or IP address. 
 
¶5.  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. 
Aguirre