VZCZCXRO8616
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHGI RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV
DE RUEHRH #0479/01 0661519
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071519Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
TO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4619
INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 8426

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 RIYADH 000479 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI (WALKER, SHUKAN, JACHIM), INL, DRL 
(BARKS-RUGGLES), PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR MARCH 9-11 CLDP VISIT 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Although country clearance has not been formally 
requested, due to the importance of this program, the U.S. 
Mission to Saudi Arabia welcomes and grants provisional 
country clearance for a visit to Riyadh March 9-12 by Mr. 
Thomas Moritz, U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Law 
Development Program (CLDP) and Ms. Susan Karamanian, Dean of 
the George Washington University Law School National Nuclear 
Security, to meet with SAG, King Saud University, and Prince 
Sultan University officials to discuss provision of technical 
assistance and development of commercial law curriculae. 
 
¶2.  (U)   The Mission must direct charge all visit support 
costs.  Country clearance is expressly conditional on advance 
receipt or assurances of complete fiscal data covering all 
support expenses for all visitors and delegation members. 
Please see Para 6 for details. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Mission Control Officer will be Political Attache 
Michael Boynton.  He will meet  upon arrival and 
transportation will be provided.  Contact numbers are: 
Embassy MSG Post One (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 (966)-050 
306-5570.  His e-mail is boyntonmr@state.gov. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)   Lodging arrangement have been made at the 
Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh at the rate of $261 per 
night.  The Intercontinental is located on Maazar Street in 
Riyadh; the phone number is  966.1.465.5000, and the fax 
number is  966.1.465.7833.  Lodging is not available within 
per diem rates during the requested time period.  Travelers 
should make arrangements for actual expense costs in their 
travel orders.  Credit card or cash is acceptable at local 
hotels; cash is best for other lodging.  Please note all 
hotel arrangements are made by post, rather than the 
traveler, in accordance with current security guidelines. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Sponsoring office shall issue visitors a cell 
phone and provide the number to the Embassy switchboard. 
Travelers are required to have an active functioning cell 
phone at all times. 
 
Standard Advice to Travelers 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6.  Visit Typical Expenses 
 
a.  (U)   VIP:  We calculate the average cost per day/per 
person to be approximately USD 428.00 for VIP visitors with a 
special agenda above the rank of Office Director to any post 
in Saudi Arabia.  Actual costs will be charged to the fiscal 
data provided. 
 
(U)   Typical costs include, but are not limited to, American 
and Locally Employed Staff's overtime, holiday pay and 
premium pay as applicable, field travel by Embassy personnel, 
transportation costs, vehicle rental, telephone installation 
and service, equipment rental, printing expenses, supplies, 
and any other costs that can be directly attributed to the 
visit. 
 
b.  (U)   Operational Support:  Typical costs include 
overtime for Locally Employed Staff, overtime and mileage for 
motorpool if after hours transportation required, cell phone 
and any other costs that can be directly attributed to the 
visit. 
 
¶7.  TDY of 30 Days or Longer 
 
a.  (SBU)  Certification that travelers remaining at post for 
30 days or longer have completed the appropriate, mandatory 
overseas personal security training, prior to arrival at post 
(State 66580, March 25, 2004).  Waivers to this requirement 
may only be granted by the Chief of Mission.  Requests should 
be sent to Ambassador James Oberwetter or Deputy Chief of 
Mission Michael Gfoeller. 
 
b.  (SBU)  For TDYers remaining at post over 30 days, there 
will be a charge for ICASS support.  If your sponsoring 
agency has not signed up for ICASS services at post, please 
be prepared to sign a MOU for ICASS support services upon 
arrival.  The agency should provide post with a written 
authorization, generated by the traveler's headquarters, that 
confirms the agency will pay ICASS charges for the TDYer, 
provide the agency ICASS billing code, and authorize the 
traveler to sign the ICASS invoice generated by the TDY 
 
RIYADH 00000479  002 OF 003 
 
 
module.  Where travel is urgent, TDYers should bring this 
documentation with them to ensure there will be no 
interruption in service.  Post will not provide service to a 
TDYer in excess of 30 days without this documentation prior 
to day 31 of the TDY.  For each sponsoring agency that sends 
a series of TDYers for less than 30 days, post will add total 
TDY days and if the total exceeds 30 days, count them as a 
single TDY. 
 
c.  (U)  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). 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  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. 
 
(SBU)  All incoming personnel (TDY or PCS) must receive an 
RSO-approved security brief prior to or upon arrival.  The 
Control Officer designated in the country clearance cable is 
responsible for ensuring the appropriate brief is obtained. 
For TDY personnel with stays of less than 96 hours and where 
travel is limited to Riyadh with nearly all visit activity 
occurring within the Diplomatic Quarter, an RSO-written brief 
provided in paper or electronic form to the visitor by the 
Control Officer will satisfy the requirement.  For all other 
circumstances, the Control Officer must provide the traveler 
the paper or electronic brief before or upon the visitor's 
arrival, PLUS arrange for an appropriate security briefing 
session with the RSO. 
 
(SBU)  Travel is performed only in Embassy vehicles.  Use of 
taxis, private cars, hotel shuttles, and public 
transportation for all travel within the city is not 
authorized. 
 
(SBU)  Travelers to Saudi Arabia are advised that their hotel 
rooms and any telephones used may be monitored during their 
stay in the Kingdom.  Travelers should report any unusual 
occurrences to the Embassy or Consulate General RSO. 
 
(U)  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. 
 
(SBU)  TDYers are reminded of the potential for further 
terrorist actions against U.S. citizens abroad, including in 
the Persian Gulf region.  USG employees who travel to Saudi 
Arabia are required to follow all security precautions as 
prescribed by the Regional Security Officer 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. 
 
(SBU)  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.  Saudi Government facilities are 
also targets as demonstrated by the December 29,2004 
attempted bombing of the Ministry of Interior.  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. 
 
(SBU)  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 moving about the city. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  The Embassy approves the use of computers, 
laptops, and digital cameras at post in accordance with 12 
FAM 600 established regulations.  Stand-alone use of laptops 
 
RIYADH 00000479  003 OF 003 
 
 
will be allowed with the standard caveat that nothing be 
connected to DOS systems.   Computers, laptops and digital 
cameras must stay outside of CAA areas.  Prior notification 
of the use of cameras must be approved by the RSO.  It should 
be noted that Saudi law, especially as it is interpreted in 
the capital of Riyadh, rigidly controls photography.  We 
strongly urge visitors to avoid taking photographs in any 
public place without the express and prior involvement of the 
RSO. 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Visas:  Visitors are also reminded that valid 
visas for Saudi Arabia are required at all times.  Travelers 
are advised that submitting passports to the Saudi 
authorities that contain Israeli visas or evidence of travel 
to Israel may result in difficulties securing a Saudi visa or 
gaining entry to the Kingdom.  Official travelers to Saudi 
Arabia should request a two-year, multiple-entry visa from 
the nearest Saudi Embassy or Consulate. 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Passports:  Visitors are reminded to keep a copy 
of their passport with them at all times while in Saudi 
Arabia as it may be needed for identification.  The original 
should be kept in a safe place. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  Prohibited Items:  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 must not attempt to bring any alcohol, 
pork products or printed materials that may be construed as 
pornographic or proselytizing into the Kingdom.  Penalties 
include confiscation, fines and may extend to denial of entry. 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  Drugs:  Saudi Arabia strictly prohibits the 
importation of controlled substances, including narcotics, 
methamphetamines, depressants and hallucinogens).  The 
penalty for violation of this law is death. 
 
(SBU)  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.  (U)  Dress:  While visiting the Kingdom, women and men 
should dress conservatively.  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 skirts/dresses that fall well below the knee 
with long sleeves and a high neckline) when in public.  This 
is also the position of the U.S. Embassy. 
 
(SBU)  However, while Embassy personnel are not required to 
wear the abayya and/or hijaab (scarf) on official business, 
many Western women choose to wear the abayya and hijaab while 
conducting their personal affairs in order to avoid unwanted 
attention and/or harassment by the Mutawwa'in (religious 
police).  Upon request, the Embassy will loan female visitors 
abayyas for the duration of their stay in the Kingdom. 
 
(SBU)  It is the policy of the Embassy to support a woman in 
her decision to wear or not wear the abayya and/or hijaab. 
OBERWETTER