From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Comoros Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 15:32:08 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:2012 Path: world!bzs Message-ID: <199812091035_MC2-62F3-4618@compuserve.com> Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Approved: usenet@world.std.com Distribution: wstd Precedence: bulk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-List-Info: LN=travel-advisories WHOM=76702.1202@compuserve.com Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mime-Version: 1.0 Lines: 121 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Comoros ============================================================ Comoros - Public Announcement December 8, 1998 Civil unrest on Anjouan Island, an island in the Comoros Islands, has led to heavy fighting between armed groups. Since December 4, 1998, as many as 60 people have been killed in the fighting. The U.S. State Department urges U.S. citizens to defer travel to Anjouan Island, and urges U.S. citizens on Anjouan Island to depart as soon as it is safe to do so. There is no U.S. diplomatic or consular presence in the Comoros Islands. The U.S. Embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius has consular jurisdiction for the Comoros Islands. The U.S. Embassy may be reached by telephone, (230) 208-2347; or fax, (230) 208-9534. For further information on travel to the Comoros, please consult the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for the Comoros. This Public Announcement expires on March 8, 1999. Comoros - Consular Information Sheet July 16, 1998 Country Description: The Comoros is a developing island nation located in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa. Facilities for tourism are limited, and telecommunication links are extremely unreliable. Entry Requirements: A valid passport and onward/return ticket are required. A three-week entry visa, which may be extended, may be obtained upon arrival at the airport. Travelers should obtain the latest details from the Mission of the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros, 420 East 50th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022; telephone (212) 972-8010, fax (212) 983-4712. Overseas inquiries may be made at the nearest Comorian or Senegalese embassy or consulate. Areas of Instability: Comoros has experienced frequent strikes and civil unrest since early 1997, which have sometimes resulted in violent clashes between police and demonstrators. Foreign residents and visitors have not been targeted, but the potential for further outbreaks of civil disorder in urban areas remains high. Access to Anjouan, Comoros' second largest island, which declared itself independent in 1997, requires prior permission from authorities in Anjouan. Medical Facilities: Medical facilities in the Comoros are poor. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. Travelers have found supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas and medical air evacuation coverage to be useful. For further information, travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at 1-888-232-3228, or their autofax service at 1-888-232-3299, or their Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov. Information on Crime: Petty crime is common. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The pamphlets "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa" provide useful information on protecting personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general. Both are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service at present, nor economic authority to operate such service, between the U.S. and the Comoros, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the Comoros' civil aviation authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Comorian air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet Home Page at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs in Comoros are strictly enforced. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Road Safety/Traffic Conditions: Roads are generally adequate, but they are poorly lit at night. Travelers should exercise extreme caution when driving after dark. Taxis are preferable to public transportation. U.S. Representation: The United States has no embassy in Comoros, but has a liaison representative in Moroni, who can be contacted at Quartier Oasis, P.O. Box 720, Moroni, telephone (269) 73-00-11, fax (269) 73-00-12. U.S. citizens in Comoros are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius. Registration information and forms may be collected at the liaison office in Moroni and forwarded to the American Embassy, Consular Section, Rogers House, Fourth Floor, John F. Kennedy Street, Port Louis, Mauritius; telephone numbers (230) 208-9764 through 208-9769, 208-2347 and 208-2354; fax (230) 208-9534. The U.S. Embassy homepage is located at http://usis.intnet.mu; e-mail usembass@intnet.mu. No. 98-102 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated April 4, 1997, to update information on entry requirements and U.S. representation, and to add information on civil aviation oversight. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. 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