FINLAND JOINS REWNEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000203 SIPDIS STATE PASS OES/EGC FOR GRIFF THOMPSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENV EUN FI SUBJECT: FINLAND JOINS REWNEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PARTNERSHIP REF: 06 HELSINKI 01236 ¶1. (U) On April 29, the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). Dr. Maranne Osterkorn, International Director at REEEP, atended the signing ceremony at the British Embasy in Helsinki. Finland is the 31st government tojoin REEEP. ¶2. (U) Initially Finland will not prvide direct funding support to REEEP, instead prferring to focus on promoting its Energy and nvironment Partnership with Central America (EEP). (See reftel). ¶3. (U) Both REEEP and Finland,s EEP were inaugurated at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 and have subsequently become important initiatives in promoting the development of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. HYATT