Diplomats, Foreign Visitors Generally Accept Tightened Security and Delays at Local Airports by Alan B. Nichols Tightened security at the nationís airports and seaports is well understood and accepted by the diplomatic community in Washington, according to an informal survey of area diplomats. That acceptance stems from the recognition that 9/11 changed the security landscape in this country and made closer screening of foreign visitors necessary. Entry and exit procedures, although cumbersome at times, are the price one pays for ramped-up safety measures in response to threats of terrorist attacks. Nevertheless, a few diplomats, foreign ministers, business delegations and others on official or quasi-official visits to Washington have occasionally encountered long delays at Dulles and other area airports, sparking criticism from some ambassadors who suggest that the Department of Homeland Security could find ways to screen this category of visitor more efficiently. In October 2003, Liechtensteinís foreign minister came to Washington on a visit with members of Congress and the State Department and had to wait in the immigration line at Dulles International Airport for about an hour and a half. Liechtenstein Ambassador Claudia Fritsche, who was there to greet the foreign minister, in unintended understatement, described Dullesís entry-vetting procedures for foreign dignitaries as "not expeditious." Tight visitor screening has been in place at the nationís airports for some time now, and new measures are scheduled to be introduced in the months ahead. These include requiring the passports of foreign visitors to be biometrically machine-readable (for fingerprints and eye prints). Under the US-VISIT program of the Homeland Security Department, regulations may also require foreign visitors, before leaving their home country for the United States, to provide personal data, and there is a controversial proposal under consideration that meal preferences onboard would be included in this data. The European Union and the State Department have been negotiating to come up with a plan that would be acceptable to all parties. However, visitors holding diplomatic passports, foreign dignitaries and others on official foreign government business are exempt from most of these regulations, and airports are theoretically designed to allow such emissaries to pass through immigration quickly and efficiently. Fritsche said entry procedures are largely smooth at most airports but Dulles "is usually more problematic. The new screening measures are understood to be necessary from a philosophical and security point of view, but it is a problem because they are treated differently in the U.S. as opposed to other countries, where they are accorded preferential treatment." She added: "If there is the slightest chance of a better screening plan that would allow foreign dignitaries to bypass long waits in line, I would favor it very much." The problem at Dulles, the ambassador noted, typically occurs in the early morning hours when three or four flights come in from overseas at the same time, deluging the airports immigration system with hundreds of passengers. "There is no doubt in any diplomatís mind that these requirements are justified, but if the procedure could be expedited, that would satisfy them," she said, adding that "one particular lane for diplomatic passports is needed." Austrian Ambassador Eva Nowotny said her diplomats have "no problem" with airport security, citing the State Departmentís Courtesy of the Port program, which is designed to expedite entry and exit for those carrying diplomatic passports. Under regulations governing US-VISIT, A1, A2 and several other passport classifications are exempt from biometric screening procedures on arrival and departure at most U.S. airports. "Diplomats have no problem at the airports, either coming or going," said Nowotny. "We enjoy expedited screening, and we pass through security quickly. The problem is for important visitors who do not possess diplomatic passports or visas. I am referring to artists, university professors, and so on." Nowotny cited the example of an academic who recently came to the United States from his home country to give a series of talks. His plane arrived at Dulles along with several other overseas flights. A horde of passengers descended upon the few immigration windows, creating a huge traffic jam. As Nowotny recalled, it took her guest lecturer almost two hours to pass through security. "We understand the need for security," she said, "but when several planes land at the same time, there must be less inconvenience. Putting on additional security officers would help ease the congestion." She also suggested that artists, academics and other "special guests" be afforded some type of preferential treatment. When told of the incident, a State Department spokesperson said that if they are told of these types of arrivals in advance, they can help facilitate visits sponsored by foreign missions. "The problem of delays at airports and other ports of call is not at the systemic level," said an official with the Embassy of Malta. "The problems we occasionally have faced have been more on the individual level, where a security person has not been courteous to our people. "We understand fully the need for security," he continued. "Itís a delicate issue. The State Department is walking a tightrope between security and courtesy." The Maltese Embassy official, who declined to be identified, explained that early on after 9/11 and before new security measures were put into place, there were isolated cases of ambassadors and other high-ranking foreign officials experiencing inconveniences, but now, three years later, he said, "We are seeing a definite improvement." Icelandic Ambassador Helgi ¡g?stsson similarly had few complaints. "We fly in and out of BWI, and the security people there have been very helpful. We came in recently from Florida, and, yes, we had to take our shoes off, but there were no problems with that. It was all done properly. I find it strange other embassies have complained. Itís not been our experience." Mohammed Al-Basha, information and outreach officer at the Yemeni Embassy, said that a couple of years ago, a large Yemeni delegation on an official visit to Congress was delayed at an airport for several hours, he said, because of a "misunderstanding." "Whenever we have coordinated in advance visits by either our government officials or artists or academics, no one has been displeased. And whenever we have occasionally complained to a protocol officer, State responds quickly. We do understand mistakes are sometimes made," he said. As for cutting down on the waiting time during peak arrival times at airports, Al-Basha suggested that airports add a few more immigration officers to man a couple of extra windows. When several overseas flights arrive at Dulles at once, the long lines are inconvenient, conceded Telmo Baltazar, political, justice and home affairs counselor at the Washington office of the Delegation of the European Commission, who offered a suggestion of his own. U.S. airports are poorly designed to handle large contingents of foreign visitors, he said, adding, "European airports are specially designed with concerns for security. Many of the large European airports have huge international waiting areas where visitors can more easily relax as they go through customs and immigration." By contrast, U.S. airports offer what he calls "cramped quarters" that often contribute to the extra time it takes to pass through security. Like other foreign envoys in Washington, Baltazar, whose position involves monitoring U.S. Homeland Security arrangements and programs, said nonetheless that, with advance notice, entry and exit procedures by foreign dignitaries on official visits are easily expedited both at the State Department level and by security officers, whom he describes generally as being "professional, courteous and efficient." Alan B. Nichols is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.