US to launch four-level travel advisory system

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (KUNA) -- The US State Department said late Friday that part of its responsibility for the safety and security of its citizens overseas "is providing information to help US citizens make informed decisions about traveling abroad." Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Carl Risch told reporters "the Department of State is improving our communications with US citizen travelers to provide clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide." He indicated that over the past year, the Bureau of Consular Affairs "gathered feedback from stakeholders across the country and the world to, number one, improve access to the information; and number two, redefine our products," affirming that "these changes will help ensure a consistent worldwide standard." He revealed that in January, "we will launch our new products with travel advisories being issued for every country in the world to provide US citizens with relevant safety and security information.
"Travel advisories will give advice to US citizens by following a four-level classification system and providing clear actions to take. So the level one is to 'exercise normal precautions;' level two would be 'exercise increased caution;' level three would be 'reconsider travel;' and level four would be 'do not travel,'" he pointed out.
Risch stressed that the levels are "strictly based on safety and security conditions, and not on political considerations," and that "it's driven by our commitment to making sure that Americans who are traveling overseas are informed travelers and have access to up-to-date information.
"Communicating with US citizens who live and travel overseas is a big challenge," he said, and that "the purpose of level four would be to tell people that we advise against travel there." Last Thursday, the US updated its Worldwide Caution document for citizens traveling abroad due to "the continuing threat of terrorist actions, political violence, and criminal activity against US citizens and interests abroad," according to the State Department. (end) si.hb