Annex D
MODEL SUBMISSION
REFERENCE: //2004
From: Geographical Dept Desk Officer
Date:
[PS]
cc:
PS/PUS
PS/Minister responsible for the region
Director-General responsible for the region
Director General Defence & Intelligence
(if threat related)
Director International Security (if threat related)
Director, Consular Services
Head of CTPD and SSU (if threat related)
Head of AMED (if aviation or maritime implication)
Press Office (for press enquiries or releases)
PRDD (for Parliamentary implications)
Head, Consular Crisis Group
Head, Travel Advice Section, CCG
CTPD Threats Team Leader
JTAC
WASHINGTON (if threat related)
Other Posts as appropriate
Head of Geographical Department
Director General Corporate Affairs
[Private Secretary]
ISSUE
1. Whether to change our Travel Advice for
[country].
TIMING
2. Immediate/priority/routine. [Should reflect
urgency of eg new information from post, new threat assessment,
change of partner's travel advice, etc].
PREFERRED OPTIONS
3. That we [do not] change our advice, to
[explain briefly the change].
Consular Crisis Group; Post; CTPD and SSU (if
terrorist threat against the mission or HMG personnel); AMED (if
shipping or air services are affected); PRDD and the Press Office
agree.
ARGUMENT AND
BACKGROUND
4. [Current advice]
The current Travel Advice is . . . (attach it).
5. [New information/intelligence]
We need to consider whether to change it because
. . . (explain what new event/information has prompted this eg.
JTAC assessment, reference XX/04).
Do not refer to any names, dates, places and
above all sources when describing intelligence to keep the submission
capped at Confidential. [Credibility of information/intelligence].
Essential intelligence should be sent in parallel—DGCA
has Fortress, SofS will require a hard copy.
6. [Recommendation for/against change in
Travel Advice]
We recommend that we do/don't change the Travel
Advice, in the following way (make clear whether you are proposing
a change to the facts or to the advice, or both; and attach the
draft new Travel Advice in full as it will appear on the website.
The Secretary of State likes to see tracked changes so that he
can quickly identify "before" and "after").
7. [Reasons]
The reason for this proposed change is . . .
(explain the pros and cons if there are any; and if there are
divided opinions inside or between FCO/Post/OGDs—if so explain
who thinks what, citing the Post's view in full).
8. [Our Allies (US, Australia, Canada) and
EU partners position]
The US/other key partners' Travel Advice is
. . . (attach texts and explain any differences to what we are
proposing); whether they have changes in mind and if so, what.
9. [Local authorities reaction]
The local authorities' reaction to this change
is likely to be . . . We [do not] recommend informing them in
advance of the change (as a general rule we should try to inform
in advance, unless there is a strong reason not to). The effect
of the change on the country concerned is likely to be . . . (eg
damage to tourism, halting of air services etc).
10. [Local authorities ability to deal with
the situation]
Give details of the general [security] situation,
previous [terrorist] incidents and ability of the local authorities
to deal with the situation.
11. [Action at Post] If Ministers agree,
Post will . . . (explain what they will do to promulgate the new
advice locally; eg whether they will brief host government in
advance; briefing local community, NGOs etc; explain too any new
local security measures they may be putting in place; and if necessary
make a recommendation on whether the post should evacuate non-essential
staff and families. It may also be necessary to recommend close
protection for key staff or closure of visa section).
12. [Action in London] We will . . . (explain
if we are going to be doing any briefing in London, eg of NGO
head offices, etc, and whether any other action (eg organising
an evacuation) is necessary. TAS are responsible for briefing
the travel industry and making the change on the website.
MEDIA AND
PARLIAMENTARY IMPLICATIONS
13. [Consulting the Press Office and PRDD,
note any prior and anticipated media coverage and parliamentary
interest. Explain whether we are recommending any proactive announcement
of the change, and set out the press line on why the advice has
been changed.]
RESOURCE IMPLICATONS
14. None [Unless eg special action required
to protect Embassy staff and premises].
Geographical Dept
Address
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