Warden Message
August 14, 2007

This warden message is being issued to inform US citizens of the upcoming closure of the US Embassy on Wednesday, August 15 and Thursday, August 16, 2007 as a result of road closures related to the scheduled Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. Local police and security forces in and around Bishkek have significantly increased their activities in anticipation of the arrival of the official SCO delegations. Foreigners especially have reportedly been subject to increased scrutiny and inspection by Kyrgyz authorities on the streets of Bishkek. American citizens are urged to exercise caution during the SCO Summit, carry full identification documents on their person and in their vehicles, and defer any non-essential travel to SCO Summit areas. Access to downtown Bishkek will be severely limited as a result of SCO security procedures. The US Embassy will re-open for business on Friday, August 17, 2007, from 0730-1700 hours.
According to Kyrgyz Authorities, the following roads are scheduled to be closed:
Tuesday, 14 August 2007 from 12:00 - 17:00
Sovietskaya Street, Manas/Prospekt Mira, Chui and Vasilievskiy Highway
Wednesday, 15 August 2007 all-day closure beginning at 8:00:
Manas/Prospekt Mira, Chui and Vasilievskiy Highway. Sovietskaya Street will be closed intermittently.
Thursday, 16 August 2007 all-day closure beginning at 0800
Manas/Prospekt Mira, Chui and Vasilievskiy Highway. Sovietskaya Street will be closed intermittently.
Other roads may be closed without prior announcement depending on Kyrgyz security requirements. Pedestrian traffic along these routes may or may not be restricted as well. The Embassy advises that you do not attempt to enter any restricted areas and obey the instructions of local authorities.
In addition to the above road closures, the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border crossing is subject to restrictions during the SCO summit. Foreign citizens in possession of Kazakh and Kyrgyz visas will be allowed to depart and enter the Kyrgyz border between August 15 -17, 2007. Individuals not in possession of the necessary documents from August 15-17, 2007 might not be allowed to enter Kyrgyzstan. All foreign citizens with known travel plans to enter or depart Kyrgyzstan overland, from August 15-17, 2007 should fax in advance, a copy of their vehicle and passenger information to the Border Guard Service headquarters at either 0312 543 836 or 0312 549 055.
Should you experience an emergency while the US Embassy is closed, the Embassy Duty Officer can be reached at 996 312 551-241. If you know of a US citizen who is not receiving warden messages such as these, please urge them to register at http://travelregistration.state.gov in order to receive warden messages and other emergency announcements.
The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek is located at 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. The phone number is 996-312-551-241 and may be used after hours. Fax: 996-312-551-264, and website: http://bishkek.usembassy.gov.
Updated information on travel and security in the Kyrgyz Republic may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States and Canada, or from overseas, 1-202-501-4444. U.S. citizens should consult the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for the Kyrgyz Republic at Kyrgyz Republic and the Public Announcement for Central Asia at Central Asia Public Announcement, the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement http://travel.state.gov/wwc1.html, and the travel publication "A Safe Trip Abroad" at http://travel.state.gov/asafetripabroad.html .