VZCZCXRO6563
PP RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #3010/01 3491447
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151447Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6456
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1300
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8367
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 2693
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 8293
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 7348
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 003010 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT PREL OVIP ASEC PK
 
SUBJECT: Islamabad VIP Visit Limitation Request 
 
REF: Islamabad 0268 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  Embassy Islamabad and its three consulates cannot 
continue to host visitors at the current level.  The security 
situation is too precarious and we do not have the people to support 
such a heavy visitor load: manning in some Embassy sections is now 
down to 50 percent.  Moreover, there are repeated demands for 
meetings with the same high-level Pakistani officials, sometimes 
three or four a week.  We urge a system be put in place so that 
official travelers must initially contact the desk with travel 
plans.  We request Department support when we refuse country 
clearance or ask that the size of delegations be reduced.  We are 
about to deny country clearance for some executive branch visitors 
on orientation or routine consultations.  Some delegations can 
employ technologies such as video conferencing, and we ask that this 
option be explored for meetings with Pakistani counterparts.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (U) In February 2009, post issued Reftel providing guidelines for 
visiting delegations.  Post now reiterates these guidelines as 
follows: 
 
a. No more than 15 people per delegation. 
b. No overlapping delegations, and at least two days between each 
delegation. 
c. No RON in Islamabad for delegations visiting Afghanistan or 
Iraq. 
d. No requests for Saturday or Sunday meetings with the President, 
Prime Minister, or Chief of Army Staff. 
e. Thirty-days advanced notice is required to allow logistics, 
security, and country clearance processing.  We ask that H reach out 
to the relevant committees and ask for travel schedules for 
congressional travel well in advance. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The highest priority for Embassy Pakistan is congressional 
travel.  We believe the large number of congressional delegations we 
have hosted has had a very positive effect on appropriations for 
Pakistan, for both civilian and military assistance.  We are 
convinced that these visits have enhanced the understanding of the 
Af/Pak Strategy.  Our briefings, particularly on intelligence 
issues, have been useful in dispelling myths about activities in 
Pakistan.  The CODELs that come to Pakistan are motivated, 
well-briefed and professional. 
 
¶4. (SBU) But we also seek H's help in ensuring that CODELs do not 
overlap.  It would be helpful if congressional delegations could be 
encouraged to merge.  We know how difficult this can be, but it 
would reduce risky vehicle and helicopter movements and the burden 
on our personnel and the GOP.  Post's limited logistical resources 
are overwhelmed by the number of visiting delegations, their size, 
as well as the complexity and duration of their visits.  Given that 
congressional visits have to be our highest priority, we are going 
to cut down on executive branch visits to accommodate CODELS. 
 
¶5. (SBU) After a lull following the death of Baitullah Mehsud, 
violence again is on the rise.  Since the beginning of October, 
there have been five terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Rawalpindi 
and a total of 30 attacks nationwide killing 550 people - including 
almost 300 people in Peshawar alone. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Because of security concerns, visitors cannot generally be 
accommodated in hotels, and on-compound housing for VIP visitors is 
extremely limited. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In addition to the housing shortage, GOP reluctance to 
provide customs clearance for equipment (including armored vehicles) 
and visas to incoming U.S. staff is resulting in critical shortages 
of both supplies and personnel.  Some embassy sections have now 
fallen to 50 percent manning, and we are denying leave or departure 
from post because there are no incoming replacements.  We cannot 
accommodate large numbers of visitors with our greatly reduced 
staffing. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Travel outside of Islamabad has become a particularly 
contentious issue.  Visitors often tell us they are willing to 
assume the personal risk to travel to conflict zones, apparently 
unmindful of the enormous logistical tail and risk to embassy 
personnel which such visits entail.  We will only support these 
visits infrequently, when the visit is clearly mission-critical. 
Helicopter support is limited - the INL Air Wing has also been 
affected by the inability to secure visas for its key personnel, 
particularly mechanics - and we are uncertain of the maintenance of 
Pakistani helicopters, which are being used constantly in combat in 
 
ISLAMABAD 00003010  002 OF 002 
 
 
any case.  Unlike Iraq and Afghanistan, there are no U.S. military 
helicopters or aircraft available in Pakistan to move visitors 
around. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Helicopter trips outside of Islamabad require the 
prepositioning of armored vehicles (FAVs) upcountry where the 
vehicles, drivers, advance and RSO personnel must wait, becoming 
easily identifiable targets.  The distances and time needed to move 
vehicles (a two-hour helicopter trip might require 18 hours on the 
ground) mean that multiple motorcades are required for the same 
visit, as resources sent elsewhere are unavailable to move the same 
delegation in the capital.  Support for large and/or multiple VIP 
delegations often results in our own personnel being placed in 
"soft" vehicles for our high volume shuttle service, which increases 
their personal risk. 
 
¶10. (SBU) The GOP is increasingly raising concerns about the number 
of high level (President, Prime Minister, Chief of Army Staff) 
appointments we have been requesting.  It was not unusual during 
recent Congressional recesses to have four to five appointments with 
each of these officials in a week, and multiple appointments on a 
weekend.  There have been instances when multiple CODELs had 
separate appointments the same day with the same official. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Officials of the government point out privately to us that 
it would be difficult to have an official meeting in Washington on a 
Sunday, yet here we request Sunday meetings all the time.  Our 
Pakistani counterparts tell us that protocol demands that they grant 
the appointments.  We also request meetings with high level 
officials on the Islamic equivalents of Christmas and Easter.  The 
message that this not-so-subtly conveys is that Pakistan is a 
third-rate, poor country dependent on the United States and "If we 
are giving them billions of dollars, they can surely meet with us on 
Sunday."  The GOP understands the importance of Senators like Kerry, 
Inouye and Levin and will meet with them anytime; however, requests 
for meetings on weekends and Islamic holidays have become routine. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In CY2009 to date, Post supported 89 VIP delegations 
totaling 646 personnel, who stayed 160 nights and used 894 FAV 
vehicle days.  Already, Post has notification of ten VIP delegations 
planned for the first half of January 2010 including three major 
CODELS on the same day. (During a recent Congressional recess, we 
had nine senators in Islamabad in one day.)  We recommend a system 
be put in place so that official travelers must initially contact 
the desk with travel plans at least thirty days in advance.  If we 
refuse country clearance or ask that the size of delegations be 
reduced, we request the Department support us in setting these 
limitations.  We also recommend that delegations look into such 
technologies as video conferencing with Pakistani counterparts. 
 
Patterson