VZCZCXYZ0016
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0035/01 0142037
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 142037Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2646
INFO RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 0734
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000035 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECPS OTRA CI AR
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL FOR AMBASSADOR DAVID A. 
GROSS 
 
REF: STATE 03598 
 
¶1.  Embassy Santiago warmly welcomes and grants country 
clearance for Ambassador David A. Gross, Coordinator for 
International Communications and Information Policy, from 
01/15/2008 through 01/16/2008, as requested reftel.  The 
purpose of the visit is to meet with Chilean government 
officials to discuss the U.S.-Chile bilateral relationship, 
including telecommunications related issues. 
 
¶2.  Control Officer for your visit is Jessica Patterson, 
Political-Economic Officer, telephone numbers:  office (56-2) 
330-3394, cell (56-9) 139-9093, home (56-2) 335-8104, and fax 
(56-2) 330-3118.  Control Officer can be reached 24 hours a 
day via Post 1, telephone (56-2) 330-3321/3700.  During 
business hours it is best to reach the Control Officer via 
the Embassy switchboard (56-2) 330-3000. 
 
¶3.  Employees with diplomatic or official passports must 
obtain diplomatic or official entry visas through a Chilean 
embassy overseas or CA/PPT/SIA in Washington.  Those with 
tourist passports do not need visas, and may enter on tourist 
cards filled out on the airplane.  Travelers with tourist 
passports are required to pay a one time fee of $100.00 U.S. 
dollars each to enter the country. 
 
¶4.  Upon arrival, Ambassador Gross will be met by control 
officer and expediter. Lodging has been arranged at the Chief 
of Mission Residence. 
 
¶5.  State Department TDY visitors requiring OpenNet-Plus 
Systems access during their stay should inform the Control 
Officer prior to their arrival.  Visitors will be required to 
attend a Systems Security briefing and complete a Network 
Access Request Form.  If visitors wish to access e-mail from 
their home State Department post, users must provide the ISC 
with the fully qualified domain name or the TCP/IP address of 
the TDYer's home e-mail server. 
 
¶6.  Personnel who intend to bring U.S. Government portable 
microcomputers (laptops) for use in CAA or non-CAA areas must 
notify Post's ISSO and RSO in advance of travel.  Personal 
Electronic Devices (PED), Personal Digital Assistant's (PDA) 
e.g., 'Palm Pilots', MP-3 players, etc. are NOT authorized in 
CAA spaces and are not authorized connectivity within OpenNet 
unclassified or classified networks, or stand-alone 
 
SIPDIS 
classified PC's. 
 
¶7.  Travelers are reminded that Santiago's Public Affairs 
Section is responsible for handling all in-country press 
arrangements for both Mission personnel and official 
visitors.  Media inquiries or requests for interviews made 
directly to the visitor during the course of a visit should 
be directed to the Embassy Press Attache, Timothy Stater, 
telephone (56-2) 330-3350.  Where contact with the media 
would serve to promote USG interests, Public Affairs will 
work with visitors prior to their arrival to determine the 
desired level or arrangements for contact with the press. 
On-site Public Affairs staff is also available to assist 
visitors and delegations at meetings where media coverage is 
anticipated. 
 
¶8.  Cash Exchanges:  At the airport, Banco Edwards and AFEX 
(Exchange House) have money exchange facilities located on 
the ground floor customs area as you leave the terminal.  The 
Embassy has a 24-hour ATM machine, which can access any U.S. 
account served by the local bank.  Currency received will be 
Chilean pesos at the current rate of exchange.  ATMs are 
located conveniently around Santiago and in other 
metropolitan areas in Chile.  You are urged to bring an ATM 
card to Post since this is the most convenient (and many 
times economical) way to change money. 
 
¶9.  The Embassy community has a small commissary/gift shop, 
which is available to official visitors. 
 
¶10.  The climate in Chile is temperate, but milder than that 
of Washington.  The seasons in Chile are reversed:  Summer 
(December, January, February) temperatures usually vary 
between 49 degrees (mornings and evenings) and 85 degrees 
during the day; Winter (June, July August) temperatures range 
between a minimum of 38 and maximum of 64.  Most 
precipitation occurs during the winter months.  Except for 
the hottest summer nights, evenings tend to be substantially 
cooler than the days. 
 
¶11.  All areas of Santiago are affected by high pollution, 
although the area around the Embassy has slightly better air 
quality than the more congested areas in the city.  The 
pollution appears as heavy smog in the winter and dust in the 
summer.  Pollution levels rise to unacceptable levels an 
 
average of five to six times per year.  The major health 
effects include difficulties with breathing and aggravation 
of existing respiratory, cardiovascular, allergic and 
asthmatic problems.  This is particularly true for the 
elderly and children, and for those with confirmed asthmatic 
and allergic symptoms.  Contact-lens wearers sometimes find 
their eyes are more easily irritated here.  The most severe 
pollution occurs during the months of May to October. 
 
¶12.  The intensity of the sun is particularly pronounced in 
Santiago.  Travelers should travel with good sunglasses, hats 
and sun block if they anticipate spending much time outdoors. 
 
¶13.  In order to drive a vehicle in Chile, you must have an 
international driver's license.  Failure to adhere to this 
may result in arrest and confiscation of the rental vehicle. 
 
¶14.  After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, there is 
currently a very real possibility for violent actions against 
United States citizens and interests throughout the world. 
We urge all Embassy personnel and visitors to Chile to 
maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate 
steps to reduce potential vulnerability. 
 
¶15.  The Embassy has advised in a Warden message to Americans 
in Chile that extremists in the tri-border area (Brazil, 
Argentina and Paraguay) may have received instructions in 
mid-October 2000, to begin efforts to collect information on 
U.S. business people and government officials in the southern 
cone of South America.  This information would be used to 
prepare contingency plans for possible kidnappings or attacks 
in the event terrorists strike in the southern cone.  We take 
this information very seriously.  Because of the Embassy's 
special visibility, we urge all personnel to maintain a high 
level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to reduce 
potential vulnerability. 
 
¶16.  Visitors should be aware of the criminal environment in 
Santiago, which is rated medium for USG employees.  Street 
crime, common to many South American cities, is a problem. 
One should be particularly alert in the business/commercial 
crowded areas.  We recommend visitors: 
 
-- Be attentive to your surroundings -- people, vehicles, 
packages, etc. 
 
-- Maintain a low profile, particularly in busy tourist areas. 
 
-- Vary your routes and times for all required travel. 
 
-- Treat mail or other deliveries from unfamiliar sources 
with suspicion. 
 
-- Be circumspect about information you provide about 
yourself to strangers or in the presence of strangers. 
SIMONS