VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMD #0731 1100924
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200924Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2325
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0857
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0114

UNCLAS MADRID 000731 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR GAO: JAYETTA HECKER, 
STEVEN COHEN AND, MATTHEW ROSENBERG, MAUREEN LUNA-LONG AND 
JOHN HEALEY 
 
REF: SECSTATE 46671 
 
¶1.  Embassy grants country clearance to GAO personnel; Steven 
Cohen and Matthew Rosenberg, (the others are listed in case 
of substitution) to travel to Madrid, Spain on or about April 
23 to April 27.  The purpose of this visit is to conduct a 
review of public-private partnerships in the construction, 
maintenance and operations of transportation infrastructure. 
 
¶2.  The control officer for this visit is Whitney Baird, 
Economic Counselor.  She can be reached at Embassy number 
91/587-2288 or cellphone number 650-624-831.  A copy of the 
schedule will be sent via email. 
 
¶3.  Hotel reservations have been made at Hotel Hesperia 
located on Paseo de la Castellana, 57, phone number 
34/91-210-8800.  Confirmation numbers are as follow for 
Steven Cohen 3230706 and 2320708 for Matthew Rosenberg.  The 
per diem rate for Madrid is $247 and breakfast is included. 
 
 
¶4.  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. 
 
¶5.  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. 
 
¶6.  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