DOS Discusses March 2003 Consular Post Closings

Excerpted from the transcript of the 3/20/03 State Dept. Press Briefing:

“Our embassies -- we have today temporarily closed a couple -- about 15 -- posts, embassies and consulates in about 15 countries, short-term basis. This is an ongoing thing.

BOUCHER:
Chiefs of mission, our ambassadors overseas, based on their local security situation, can decide at any moment to close a post to the general public. But in all these cases, they make arrangements to provide emergency services to American citizens. So when we close a place, it might closed to general walk-in access or to the general public, but there are phone numbers and other ways for American citizens to get help if they need it. And those things are always made available locally, frequently on the Internet and always with phone numbers and things like that. So if people are in a place where the embassy might be closed to the general public, the answer is still: Give them a phone call. Find out if they want you to come in or make other arrangements for us to be able to take care of people.

QUESTION:
Is it 15 countries or...

BOUCHER:
It's in 15 countries. Some of these places have a number of facilities. The posts in Israel, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are closed to the pubic today. Buenos Aires, Australia, Canberra and all the consulates, Kenya, Damascus, Almaty, posts in France, mostly closed to the public. The embassy in Paris is doing emergency only and reduced services. In Nigeria, Abuja and Lagos; Lagos is closed to the general public, Abuja's running with reduced operations. In South Africa, Johannesburg is closed to the public. Then Oslo, Indonesia, Surabaya closed to the public. The posts in Turkey are open, but reduced services. In Pakistan, the posts are closed to the public. Sao Paulo, Brazil, is doing emergency only and reduced services. So in some ways or another, some may not be entirely closed. But in places like that where Americans are located, there will be emergency services available. And I guess the basic advice is call us before you come into to see us in places like that.

QUESTION:
(OFF-MIKE)

BOUCHER:
No, but at any moment there are people -- there are posts that are opening and closing based on the local conditions. That's not a definitive and it may not even be accurate at this precise moment. It was accurate about an hour ago.

QUESTION:
(OFF-MIKE)

BOUCHER:
There are warden messages in a lot of places. As I said, it comes and goes. It changes. This was the list as of, I don't know, about 12 o'clock -- 11 o'clock this morning. So it does change.

QUESTION:
Generally, speaking this is for security reasons (OFF- MIKE)

BOUCHER:
Local security reasons, possibility of demonstrations or existing demonstrations that may not threaten the post itself, but may threaten Americans who might be coming or going or people who might be waiting outside. Some places, there might be threat conditions that they want to make sure they're protected against. Some places they may be doing security changes in conjunction with local authorities. So there's a variety of reasons, and that's why it does come and go and it floats based on local decision. But once again, in all cases, they make provisions for emergency services for Americans.

QUESTION:
As you go case by case, isn't it possible an embassy is closed because it is not quite up to the security specs of another embassy? In other words, not so much the situation in the country, but you have varying degrees of preparedness.

BOUCHER:
They may -- in all cases like this, we instruct embassies to review their vulnerabilities. And they may decide, you know, that the wall out back isn't strong enough for something, and close to the public until they can repair it or they may be discussing with local officials how to close down a street and until they've decided -- made the arrangements to do that or put up the barriers, they may stay closed to the general public.

BOUCHER:
So it is sometimes just a question of reviewing our security situation and opening when they feel like they have the proper arrangements in place.

QUESTION:
How many of these places are closed because there's a threat condition?

BOUCHER:
I don't think I can -- I don't have that information. I'm not sure I could go into that information anyway.

QUESTION:
... people were asking about Macedonia is because there has been a report of specific threat retaliatory related to the onset of hostilities.

BOUCHER:
I will check on the questions of Macedonia.

QUESTION:
As well as Indonesia?

BOUCHER:
As well as Indonesia. As I said, Surabaya is close to the general public. But as of the 11 o'clock this morning list they weren't on it. But I'll check on Macedonia and Indonesia and Saudi.”