DUTCH ENERGY CONFERENCE - POLISH RESPONSE

UNCLAS WARSAW 000789 SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/ESC/IEC/ENR, EUR/ERA, EUR/NCE EUR/NCE FOR DKOSTELANCIK AND MSESSUMS AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE FOR HUFF USEU BRUSSELS FOR SMITHAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG EPET ECON PREL NL PL EUN SUBJECT: DUTCH ENERGY CONFERENCE - POLISH RESPONSE REF: STATE 63866 ¶1. (SBU) Econ Counselor and Dutch Econ Officer jointly demarched Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for North America Ambassador Henryk Szlajfer per reftel instructions. Szlajfer stated that Foreign Minister Meller is considering attending the dinner on the evening of May 17 and the first hour of conference discussions on May 18. However, to do this, the Polish Foreign Minister would have to cut short a long-planed visit to Helsinki. The MFA therefore seeks assurances from the Netherlands that the dinner will be a high-level event and that EU Commission President Barosso, EU High Representative Javier Solana, and the Austrian, French, German, British and Turkish Foreign Ministers are actually attending. Our Dutch colleague agreed to consult with the Hague to determine whether these individuals will be present. ¶2. (SBU) In a separate conversation, an official of the Polish Economics Ministry told us that Economics Ministry Under Secretary Naimski, Poland's energy security point-person, would be willing to represent Poland at the rest of the conference if invited to do so by the Dutch. ASHE