SUMMARY
1. THE DEPARTMENT'S FOREMOST RESPONSIBILITY IS THE
PROTECTION OF U.S. CITIZENS OVERSEAS. THIS
RESPONSIBILITY INCLUDES THE DISSEMINATION TO THE
PUBLIC OF INFORMATION ON MATTERS OF SAFETY AND
SECURITY FOR U.S CITIZENS TRAVELING OR RESIDING ABROAD
IN THE FORM OF CONSULAR INFORMATION SHEETS (CIS),
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS (PA), AND TRAVEL WARNINGS (TW).
THIS CABLE REVIEWS THESE THREE ELEMENTS OF THE
PROGRAM. I ASK THAT EACH COUNTRY TEAM ENSURE THAT THE
INFORMATION IN ITS CIS (AND PA OR TW IF APPLICABLE) IS
ACCURATE AND THAT YOU ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT PROMPTLY
WHEN CHANGES ARE APPROPRIATE. IT IS ALSO EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT THAT THE PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED IN A MANNER
CONSISTENT WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S "NO DOUBLE
STANDARD" POLICY.
BACKGROUND
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2. IN 1992 THE DEPARTMENT ADOPTED A TRAVEL
INFORMATION SYSTEM CONSISTING OF CIS'S AND TW'S, WHICH
WAS LATER EXPANDED TO INCLUDE PA'S, TO REPLACE
INFORMATION FORMERLY PROVIDED IN THE FORM OF "TRAVEL
ADVISORIES" (WARNINGS, CAUTIONS, AND NOTICES). THE
NEW SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED TO BE SIMPLER AND MORE USEFUL
TO THE PUBLIC IN ENABLING THEM TO MAKE EDUCATED
DECISIONS ABOUT FOREIGN TRAVEL. THE TRAVEL
INFORMATION PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE MORE POLITICALLY
SENSITIVE ENDEAVORS UNDERTAKEN BY CA. OCCASIONALLY,
THE INFORMATION RELAYED, ESPECIALLY IN TW'S OR PA'S,
MAY BE UNPOPULAR WITH A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OR EVEN
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. FOR THOSE REASONS, IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THE LANGUAGE
CONTAINED IN CIS'S, TW'S AND PA'S IS CLEARED AND
APPROVED BY THE POST, ALL RELEVANT DEPARTMENT BUREAUS
(E.G., COUNTRY DESK/GEOGRAPHIC BUREAU, CA, EB, DS,
S/CT, P, M, INR, PA, S/S) AND OCCASIONALLY OTHER USG
AGENCIES. IN THE EVENT OF DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN
BUREAUS, M AND P ARE ASKED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. IF
THE ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED BETWEEN M AND P, A
DETERMINATION IS MADE BY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY. CIS'S,
TW'S, AND PA'S ARE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AND CA'S
AUTOMATED TELEPHONE AND TELEFAX SYSTEMS. TRAVEL
INDUSTRY COMPUTER RESERVATIONS SYSTEMS ALSO HAVE
ACCESS TO TW'S AND PA'S.
CONSULAR INFORMATION SHEETS (CIS)
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3. CONSULAR INFORMATION SHEETS ARE PREPARED AND
UPDATED ANNUALLY, OR AS NECESSARY, FOR EVERY COUNTRY
IN THE WORLD. THEIR FORMAT AND CORE CATEGORIES ARE
CONSISTENT. SINCE INCEPTION, THE CIS'S HAVE ADDED
SEVERAL NEW CATEGORIES, AND THEY CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.
CORE CATEGORIES INCLUDE A BRIEF COUNTRY DESCRIPTION,
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS, MEDICAL FACILITIES, CRIME
INFORMATION, DRUG PENALTIES, ROAD SAFETY/TRAFFIC
CONDITIONS, AND THE LOCATION OF THE EMBASSY OR
CONSULATE. THEY MAY ALSO INCLUDE COUNTRY-SPECIFIC
INFORMATION, SUCH AS UNUSUAL CURRENCY/CUSTOMS
REGULATIONS, AREAS OF INSTABILITY, OR TERRORIST
ACTIVITIES. CIS'S GENERALLY DO NOT GIVE SUBJECTIVE
ADVICE; RATHER, THEY PRESENT INFORMATION IN A FACTUAL
MANNER SO THAT A TRAVELER CAN MAKE AN INFORMED
DECISION CONCERNING TRAVEL TO A PARTICULAR COUNTRY.
CIS'S MUST BE UPDATED ANNUALLY (OR MORE FREQUENTLY IF -
WARRANTED) TO ENSURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS ACCURATE.
POSTS THAT RECEIVE DANGER PAY MUST ENSURE THAT THE CIS
REFLECTS THE CONDITION THAT ENTITLED THEM TO THAT
BENEFIT. CIS'S ARE SENT TELEGRAPHICALLY TO ALL POSTS
IN THE SAME GEOGRAPHIC REGION.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS (PA)
4. PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE ISSUED WHEN SPECIFIC
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EVENTS OF A TRANSITORY NATURE CONCERNING SAFETY,
SECURITY, AND SOMETIMES HEALTH ARE TAKING PLACE THAT
AFFECT A COUNTRY, ONLY PART OF A COUNTRY, OR SEVERAL
COUNTRIES IN A REGION SUCH THAT INCLUSION IN THE MORE
GENERAL CIS OR A TW WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE. PA'S DO
NOT ADDRESS MATTERS SUCH AS HOTEL ROOM SHORTAGES; THIS
TYPE OF INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE THROUGH TRAVEL
AGENCIES AND OTHER PRIVATE SECTOR SOURCES. THEY ARE
NOT USED TO WARN ABOUT ENDEMIC OR EPIDEMIC DISEASES OR
HEALTH CONDITIONS UNLESS THEY ARE SO GRAVE THAT LOCAL
AUTHORITIES HAVE TAKEN MEASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING THE
TRAVELING PUBLIC (E.G., QUARANTINE OF AN AREA). IN
GENERAL, PA'S ARE USED TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION
QUICKLY ABOUT TERRORIST THREATS AND OTHER RELATIVELY
SHORT-TERM AND/OR TRANSNATIONAL CONDITIONS POSING -
SIGNIFICANT RISKS TO THE SECURITY OF U.S. CITIZEN
TRAVELERS. IN EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES, A PA
CONCERNING A WORLDWIDE THREAT MAY BE ISSUED. PA'S ARE
FREQUENTLY USED TO SHARE WITH THE BROADER U.S. PUBLIC
INFORMATION TO BE RELEASED BY A PARTICULAR POST
THROUGH ITS WARDEN NETWORK. THIS ENSURES THAT ALL
CITIZENS HAVE ACCESS TO RELEVANT INFORMATION AND HELPS
AVOID A "DOUBLE STANDARD" PROBLEM. CONSULAR PA'S
SHOULD BE CRAFTED TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION
ABOUT A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION; HOWEVER, THEY
ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE USED AS SITREPS. PUBLIC
ANNOUNCEMENTS HAVE EXPIRATION DATES. IF THE SITUATION
MERITING THE PA IN A SPECIFIC COUNTRY IS LIKELY TO
EXTEND BEYOND THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE PA, THE CIS
FOR THE COUNTRY SHOULD BE REVISED TO INCLUDE
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INFORMATION ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT TRIGGERED THE
PA. ALL POSTS ARE NOTIFIED BY IMMEDIATE PRECEDENCE
ALDAC CABLE WHENEVER A PA IS ISSUED OR RESCINDED.
TRAVEL WARNINGS (TW)
5. THE DEPARTMENT ISSUES A TW WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES
WARRANT RECOMMENDING THAT U.S. CITIZENS DEFER TRAVEL
TO AN ENTIRE COUNTRY BECAUSE THE SITUATION IS SO
DANGEROUS OR UNSTABLE THAT U.S. CITIZENS ARE LIKELY TO
BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY PREVAILING CONDITIONS, AND/OR
THE USG'S ABILITY TO ASSIST U.S. CITIZENS IS SEVERELY
CONSTRAINED BY AN EMBASSY DRAWDOWN OR CLOSURE. TW'S
ARE ISSUED AS STAND-ALONE ANNOUNCEMENTS. IN ADDITION,
AFTER A TW IS ISSUED, THE CIS FOR THE COUNTRY IS
UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE LANGUAGE OF THE WARNING. TW'S
DO NOT HAVE EXPIRATION DATES; THE LANGUAGE OF THE TW
SHOULD BE REVIEWED WHENEVER CONDITIONS CHANGE
SIGNIFICANTLY OR THE CIS IS UP FOR ITS ANNUAL
REVISION. HOWEVER, TW'S ARE NOT DESIGNED TO PROVIDE
TRANSITORY CHANGES IN THE SECURITY SITUATION; THEY ARE
INTENDED TO ALERT U.S. CITIZENS TO THE DANGERS OF
TRAVEL TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. ALL POSTS ARE NOTIFIED
BY IMMEDIATE PRECEDENCE ALDAC CABLE WHENEVER TW'S ARE
ISSUED OR RESCINDED.
"NO DOUBLE STANDARD" -
COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT
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6. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU COORDINATE WITH THE
DEPARTMENT, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, ON DISSEMINATING
INFORMATION CONCERNING POTENTIAL THREATS TO THE SAFETY
OF U.S. CITIZENS ABROAD. IF YOU CONCLUDE THAT YOU
MUST WARN YOUR OFFICIAL PERSONNEL AND/OR THE LOCAL
U.S. COMMUNITY, THE PROPOSED TEXT OF THE MESSAGE MUST
BE CABLED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR APPROVAL. THE
DEPARTMENT WILL EVALUATE THE THREAT INFORMATION (IS IT
CREDIBLE? IS IT SPECIFIC? IS IT BEING EFFECTIVELY
COUNTERED?) AND COORDINATE THE RELEASE OF A WORLDWIDE
PA OR TW REFLECTING THE TIMING AND CONTENT OF YOUR
POST'S WARDEN MESSAGE, IF NECESSARY. PLEASE GIVE US
AS MUCH ADVANCE NOTICE AS POSSIBLE. THE DEPARTMENT
RESPONDS TO POST'S REQUESTS OF THIS NATURE
IMMEDIATELY, ALMOST ALWAYS WITHIN ONE WORKING DAY.
7. WHEN IMMEDIATE NOTICE IS CRITICAL TO THE SECURITY
OF U.S. CITIZENS, YOUR POST DOES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
DISSEMINATE INFORMATION THROUGH ITS WARDEN NETWORK
WITHOUT PRIOR DEPARTMENT APPROVAL. IN SUCH INSTANCES,
YOU MUST/MUST CABLE THE TEXT OF THE MESSAGEE (BE SURE
TO USE CASC AS THE LEAD TAG) IMMEDIATELY AFTER ITS
ISSUANCE, SPECIFYING HOW IT WAS DISSEMINATED. THE
DEPARTMENT MAY ISSUE A PA OR TW, IF APPROPRIATE.
8. FOR DETAILED GUIDANCE ON "NO DOUBLE STANDARD'
POLICIES RELATING TO THREATS AND THE DISSEMINATION OF
SAFETY INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE AND RETAIN REFTEL A.
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9. DEPARTMENT OF STATEE TRAVEL INFORMATION
PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET:
HTTP://TRAVEL.STATE.GOV. RECORDED INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE BY CALLING (202)647-3000 FROM THE TELEPHONE
ON A FAX MACHINE.
10. I CANNOT EMPASIZE ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE THE
DEPARTMENT PLACES ON THE TRAVEL INFORMATION PROGRAM.
IN RECENT MONTHS, THIS PROGRAM HAS RECEIVED
CONSIDERABLE MEDIA SCRUTINY, AND THE NUMBER OF "HITS"
ON CA'S HOME PAGE ON THE INTERNET CONTINUES TO GROW.
PLEASE REVIEW THE TRAVEL INFORMATION ON YOUR COUNTRY
TO ENSURE THAT WE RE PROVIDING CURRENT, ACCURATE
INFORMATION. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL SHAREE OUR COMMITMENT
TO THE SECURITY OF U.S. CITIZENS ABROAD, AND I COUNT
ON YOUR COOPERATION.
11. PLEASE KEEP A COPY OF THIS CABLE ON PERMANENT
FILE.
12. JAKARTA, SURABAYA, AND BUJUMBURA MINIMIZE
CONSIDERED.
TALBOTT
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