COLOMBIA BULLISH ON WIREC 2008, REQUESTS SPOT ON

UNCLAS BOGOTA 007581 SIPDIS SIPDIS OES FOR WIREC ACTION GROUP LEADER STAN SPECHT AND SPECIAL ASSISTANT CAMILLE HILL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG EAID EPET SENV SOCI TRGY KPAO KSCA EAGR CO SUBJECT: COLOMBIA BULLISH ON WIREC 2008, REQUESTS SPOT ON AGENDA REF: STATE 138428 ¶1. This is an action cable. See para. 4. ¶2. Post delivered reftel demarche on the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) separately to Minister of Mines and Energy Hernan Martinez, Ministry of External Relations (MRE) Director for Multilateral Economic, Social, and Environmental Issues Maria Alban Duran, and Ministry of Environment Director for International Relations Ana Maria Hernandez. Post also presented WIREC 2008 information to officials at the Ministry of Agriculture. ¶3. Minister Martinez, Director Alban and Director Hernandez all enthusiastically welcomed the initiative and expressed strong GOC interest in participating. Minister Martinez said he would be interested personally in attending, and requested a speaking slot at the conference to address Colombia's experience in sustainable biofuels. Director Alban said the GOC would coordinate internally on identifying a Colombian delegation, and suggested that it would include the Ministers of Energy, Agriculture, and Environment or their designates. She emphasized that all three ministries as well as the MRE were giving renewable energy issues, particularly biofuels, high priority. Alban promised to advise Post as soon as a more detailed response was available. ¶4. Action Request: Post requests a response to GOC interest in placing Minister Martinez on the WIREC agenda in order to present Colombia's biofuels initiative. Colombia has an aggressive policy of expanded biofuels use that includes mandated inclusion of sugarcane ethanol and palm oil biodiesel in its fuel mix. Post supports GOC efforts to be included on the agenda of the conference. End Action Request. Brownfield