WIREC 2008 - AUSTRIA CANNOT YET CONFIRM PARTICIPATION AT

UNCLAS VIENNA 002631 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR OES (STAN SPECHT AND CAMILLE HILL) AND EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ENRG EPET SENV SOCI TRGY KPAO KGHG KSCA AU SUBJECT: WIREC 2008 - AUSTRIA CANNOT YET CONFIRM PARTICIPATION AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL REF: STATE 138428 ¶1. Post contacted Katharina Wieser from the MFA's Department for Environment and Energy Issues to inquire about Austria's participation at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008). After consulting with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Ministry of Economics (responsible for energy issues),Wieser said that the GoA is interested in participating, but it could not confirm ministerial level attendance at such an early stage. Wieser noted that, at the 2005 Beijing renewable energy conference, senior officials, but not ministers, led the Austrian delegation. ¶2. With regard to private sector participation, Embassy can recommend the following organizations/enterprises/academia, with which we have had fruitful discussions on energy issues: - Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO); lobby group for Austrian businesses; contact person: Dr. Stephan Schwarzer, WKO, Director, Department for Environmental and Energy Issues, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63, A-1045 Vienna, e-mail: stephan.schwarzer@wko.at - Austrian Energy Agency; non-profit energy research organization; contact person: Herbert Lechner, Deputy Director, Austrian Energy Agency, Mariahilfer Strasse 136, A-1150 Vienna, e-mail: herbert.lechner@eva.ac.at - AVL Company; private firm that develops advanced powertrain systems; contact person: Michael Ksela, AVL List, Hans-List-Platz 1, A-8020 Graz, e-mail: michael.ksela@scoopnextlevel.com - Dr. Stephan Schleicher, Professor of Economics, adviser to the Austrian Institute for Economic Research, and energy and climate change expert; contact: Economics Department, University Graz, Universitdtsstrasse 15, A-8010 Graz, e-mail: Stefan.Schleicher@wifo.at. MCCAW#