VZCZCXYZ0015
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKU #0697/01 1701333
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181333Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 1253
INFO RHMFISS/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1694
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHKU/OMC-K KUWAIT KU PRIORITY

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000697 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KU IZ OTRA APER
SUBJECT: KUWAIT COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR GENERAL DAVID 
PETRAEUS AND DELEGATION TO TRAVEL TO KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT ON 
22 JUNE 2008 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 1815 
 
¶1. Embassy Kuwait welcomes and grants country clearance for 
General David Petraeus and delegation to travel to Kuwait 
City on June 22-25, 2008 to engage with key Kuwaiti leaders 
to provide an update on the security, stability, and the 
broad spectrum of coalition operations in support of OIF. 
 
¶2. Visit Officer: An Embassy visit officer will meet and 
assist you at the airport. 
 
Dew Tiantawach, Political Officer 
Office- (965) 259-1457 
Cell-   (965) 760-1754 
Fax-    (965) 259-1051 
Unclass e-mail: TiantawachYD@state.gov 
 
¶3. Lodging: Accommodations details will follow. 
 
¶4. Following is post's standard guidance for visitors to 
Kuwait: 
 
a. Entry Requirements: Kuwait now issues single-entry visas 
to American citizens on arrival, upon presentation of a valid 
passport.  There is a processing fee of three (3) Kuwaiti 
Dinar (KD 3.000, or USD 12.00) for each visa issued. The fee 
may be paid either in KD or USD. 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 location 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 visa 
expiration.  Anyone departing Kuwait who has overstayed the 
visa will be charged a fine of KD 10.000 (US 35.00) per day 
at the airport.  All travelers planning to visit Iraq should 
make sure that they obtain the required 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. 
 
b. 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. 
 
c. Embassy Kuwait's normal workweek is Sunday through 
Thursday, and office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
The time difference with the East Coast of the United States 
is EST plus seven hours.  The embassy switchboard number is 
(965) 259-1001, and the IVG number is 4950000. The 
after-hours number which rings at Marine Guard Post One is 
(965) 538-2098.  The mission duty officer can be reached 
through the embassy switchboard, Post One or by cell phone at 
(965) 967-7265. The embassy pouch address is 6200 Kuwait 
Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6200. 
 
d. 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. 
 
e. Health Advisory for Kuwait:  April through October is the 
hot season in Kuwait.  Temperatures reach 120-140F in summer. 
 Caution should be taken to prevent dehydration and heat 
exhaustion by 1) drinking plenty of fluids and 2) staying 
indoors, especially during peak temperature hours of 
12:00-15;00.  Low humidity coupled with high temperatures 
creates excessive moisture loss from evaporation.  It is 
necessary to drink 2-4 quarts of water daily to prevent 
dehydration. 
 
f. Money:  Credit cards are widely accepted at hotels, 
restaurants and other establishments throughout Kuwait and 
ATM machines are also readily available. For travelers on 
official orders, the Commercial Bank of Kuwait can provide 
accommodation services (cashing a personal check drawn on a 
U.S. bank into local currency) up to a maximum of USD 300.00 
 
per day from 11:00 to 1:00 p.m., Sunday through Thursday. At 
the current rate of exchange, one Kuwaiti Dinar (KD) is 
equivalent to approximately USD 3.7. 
 
g. 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 visitor's Social Security Number, 
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. 
 
h. Computer and Electronics Usage: Sensitive military 
information has been discovered recently on business center 
computers at local hotels in Kuwait City.  All U.S. 
Government personnel and contractors must remember that it is 
their responsibility to observe good computer and information 
security practices.  Information processed on computers in 
hotel business centers, through email 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 on COMPUSEC will result 
in the violator receiving security infractions and/or 
security violations.  Interagency 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. 
 
i. Photography:  Tourist photography is encouraged in Kuwait. 
However, it is strictly forbidden to photograph public 
buildings, economic infrastructure, or military and other 
security-related facilities and personnel.  Confiscation of 
film and camera and even arrest may result from doing so.  A 
good rule of thumb:  If there is 
any doubt as to whether a photograph should be taken, don't 
take it. 
 
 
j. Action Request:  Each visitor, regardless of length of 
stay, must bring or forward fiscal data to pay for direct 
costs of the visit.  Each agency, organization or visiting 
delegation will be charged for the actual costs attributed to 
their visit.  Direct charge costs include, but are not 
limited to:  American and LES staff overtime (e.g., 
expeditor, accommodation exchange, representational event 
support), field travel, lodging and meals and incidental 
expenses (M&IE) by embassy employees, vehicle rentals, 
long-distance telephone calls,  equipment rentals, office 
supplies and all other costs that are directly attributable 
to the visit.  If fiscal data on a traveler's authorization 
is to be used for this purpose, this information must be 
spelled out in the travel orders and sufficient funding 
provided to meet these expenses.  In addition, for TDYers 
over thirty (30) days, there will be a charge for ICASS 
support services.  If your sponsoring agency is not signed up 
for ICASS services at post, please be prepared to sign an 
ICASS Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for ICASS support 
services upon arrival.  The agency should provide post with 
written communication, generated by the traveler's 
headquarters, that confirms the agency will pay ICASS charges 
for the TDYer, provide the agency ICASS billing code for the 
TDY support to be provided, and authorize the traveler to 
sign the ICASS invoice generated by the TDY module.  When 
travel is urgent, TDYers should bring this document with them 
to ensure there are no interruptions in the provision of 
services.  Post will not provide any services to a TDYer 
staying in excess of 30 days without having received this 
documentation prior to day 31 of the TDY. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
MISENHEIMER