UKRAINE: INPUT FOR NEW REQUIRED REPORTS TO

UNCLAS KYIV 000449 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/UMB, EB/ESC/IEC - GALLOGLY/WRIGHT DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN ENERGY FOR LEKIMOFF, CCALIENDO USDOC FOR 4210/IEP/OEENIS/NISD/CLUCYK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENV APER ABUD UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE: INPUT FOR NEW REQUIRED REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON ENERGY REF: STATE 10743 ¶1. (U) The following is Embassy Kyiv's response to reftel. Information in paragraph 2 of this cable responds directly to questions found in paragraph 4 parts A-D of reftel. ¶2. (U) A. At Embassy Kyiv, the Economic Section takes the lead on handling energy matters related to oil, gas, electricity, alternative energy, energy efficiency, and energy security. There are a total of 6 Officers, one OMS, one EFM, and four FSNs in the Economic Section. The DOE representative at post handles issues related to nuclear energy and two FSNs assist in that work. The Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) Office employs one full-time FSN as its commercial energy specialist. The USAID Mission Director, Deputy Director, Office for Economic Growth Director, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, and two FSNs work closely on coordinating energy-related assistance programs, including a program on municipal heating reform. ¶B. The following is a breakdown of the positions and employees in the Economic Section that work on energy matters: -- 1 economic officer (energy): 80% of the time; -- 1 economic officer (ESTH): 10% of the time; -- 1 economic counselor: 30% of the time; -- 1 deputy economic counselor: 10% of the time; -- 1 EFM: 70% of the time; -- 1 FSN: 60% of the time. ¶C. Description of the positions of employees and the kind of work they do: -- Economic Officer (Energy): Reports on developments in the hydrocarbon and alternative energy sectors, meets with host government officials responsible for energy policy, reports on energy-related meetings and developments, maintains contacts with hydrocarbon companies, liaisons with Department of Commerce and Department of Energy representatives on energy related commercial issues, supports energy-related visits. -- Economic Officer (ESTH): Monitors developments in Ukraine's alternative energy sector, especially biofuels, and promotes energy efficiency through outreach events. He/she is responsible for disseminating USG climate change policies to senior Embassy officials and to the Ukrainian public, and follows Ukraine,s progress in creating Joint Implementation and Clean Development Fund projects under the UN Framework on Climate Change. -- Economic Counselor: Briefs Ambassador and DCM on complexities of ever-changing energy sector on a regular basis. Engages high-level host government officials on energy issues and develops and maintains contacts with NGO and commercial representatives. Leads Mission advocacy efforts to get Ukraine to develop and implement a long-term natural gas strategy vis-a-vis Russia. Coordinates energy-related assistance. -- Deputy Economic Counselor: Supervises both the energy and ESTH economic officers and assists Economic Counselor on briefing the front office on energy issues. -- Eligible Family Member Economic Analyst: Analyzes and reports on hydrocarbon sector issues. -- Economic Assistant FSN: monitors energy related discusses in local press, engages Ukrainian energy experts on contemporary issues, compiles energy sector statistics undertakes some economic reporting on energy issues. ¶D. Budget: -- Personnel Costs: $132,132. -- Programs: $7,000 (energy-related travel to different regions and energy officers' conference). Taylor