EMBASSY BISHKEK COVERAGE OF ENERGY ISSUES

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000275 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN (GEHRENBECK),EEB/ESC/IEC (GRIFFIN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENV APER ABUD KG SUBJECT: EMBASSY BISHKEK COVERAGE OF ENERGY ISSUES REF: STATE 10743 ¶1. Embassy Bishkek is providing answers to reftel questions (repeated below) regarding coverage of energy issues: ¶A. Which section or sections of the Embassy handle energy matters? What is the total number of staff in this section or sections? The Embassy's Political/Economic Section covers energy matters. Of nine positions normally in this section, only seven are currently filled. ¶B. Please identify the positions of employees that work on energy matters and specify the percentage of time that such employees devote to energy matters. One economic officer dedicates 10% of his time to energy issues, and one FSN spends 10% of his time on this subject. ¶C. Please provide a brief narrative description of the positions of employees that work on energy matters, the kinds of work they do and any special information about their qualifications. The economic officer, with the support of the FSN, focuses on the status of hydroelectric stations, the potential export of electricity to Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as the flow of natural gas supplies. The economic officer also coordinates U.S. Trade and Development Agency feasibility studies involving the Kyrgyz national electric grid company. Work by these State Department personnel complement the programs and staffing the Agency for International Development (AID) has allotted to energy initiatives in Central Asia. AID activities include the Regional Energy Market Assistance Program, which seeks to develop a transparent, competitive energy market through increased trade in electricity, and providing advisory assistance in the drafting of Kyrgyz energy sector legislation. The economic officer has attended the Petroleum Officers Course. ¶D. Budget: Please provide the amounts of State Department funds, including salary costs, spent by your post in FY 2007 on energy-related activities in two categories: personnel and programs. Salary costs for the two State Department employees primarily engaged with energy issues amounted to $8,381 in FY 2007. There were no energy-related State Department programmatic activities in the Kyrgyz Republic in FY 2007. ¶2. Post point of contact for this report is Deputy Pol-Econ Chief Gregory Winstead. YOVANOVITCH