NETHERLANDS/ENERGY SECURITY: DUTCH HOPING FOR

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 003075 SIPDIS STATE FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK AND U/S SHINER STATE ALSO FOR EB/ESC/IEC/GARVERICK DOE FOR DAS HARBERT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG EPET PREL ECON NL IEA SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/ENERGY SECURITY: DUTCH HOPING FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY'S ATTENDANCE AT FEBRUARY CONFERENCE ¶1. On November 9, Reinout Vos, division head in the MFA,s Economic Cooperation Department, told emboffs the GONL is hopeful Deputy Secretary Zoellick will attend a transatlantic energy security conference it is organizing February 6-8, 2006 in The Hague. Vos said Foreign Minister Bot, who personally invited Zoellick at their October meeting, is the driving force behind the conference. ¶2. Vos emphasized this was not a conference on the economics of energy, but would focus on &the geopolitics of energy security.8 He said the 40-60 person guest list would include leading energy commentators, industry executives and senior policy makers from the International Energy Agency, NATO the European Commission, EU member and candidate states, Turkey, Canada and the U.S. The Nixon Center and the Netherlands Institute for International Relations are providing support for the conference. In order to encourage frank and open discussions, representatives would be limited to those multilateral organizations and countries listed above and Chatham House rules would govern the conference. ¶3. Vos shared a draft program for the conference. It included separate sessions on American and European perspectives on transatlantic cooperation on energy security as well as separate discussions on key geographic regions and countries such as Russia; the Caspian Basin and Turkey; Latin America, The Gulf; Africa; and Asia. Working lunches and dinners would focus on government and industry cooperation and a briefing from NATO, among other topics. If the conference is successful, the GONL envisioned a follow-up gathering of the parties in Washington in the second half of ¶2006. ¶4. Comment: With energy security a growing concern and an agenda item during Russia's 2006 G-8 presidency, this conference could be a valuable opportunity for high-level transatlantic consultation. End Comment. BLAKEMAN