Tallinn's Input for EISA 2007 Reporting

UNCLAS TALLINN 000067

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EEB/ESC/IEC B. Glenn Griffin

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG SENV APER ABUD EN
SUBJECT: Tallinn's Input for EISA 2007 Reporting

REF: STATE 010743


1. (U) Embassy Tallinn's response to the reporting
requirement of the 2007 Energy Independence Security Act
(EISA) is keyed to reftel questions below.


2. (SBU) -- A. Which section or sections of the Embassy
handle energy matters? What is the total number of
staff in this section or sections?

-- Support for Estonia's energy independence is a goal
of Embassy Tallinn's Mission Strategic Plan (MSP) for
FY2009. On a daily basis, the embassy's joint
Political/Economic section covers energy matters. This
section has a total staff four FSNs, three FSOs, and one
part-time EFM OMS.

-- 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. For
example: 1 economic officer: 90 percent of the time; 1
OMS: 30 percent of the time; 1 econ counselor: 20
percent of the time; 1 FSN: 60 percent of the time.

-- One Economic Officer, 15 percent of the time; one
ESTH FSN 10 percent of the time; one Economic/
Commercial FSN 15 percent of the time.

-- C. Please provide a brief narrative description of
the positions of employees that work on energy matters
(econ officer, EST counselor, FSN, etc.),the kinds of
work they do(for example, report on oil ministry,
contact with oil companies, energy dialogues, civilian
nuclear programs),and any special information about
their qualifications.

-- Economic Officer: This officer meets with officials
from the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture,
and Ministry of Foreign Affairs on energy matters, as
well as contacts at the state-owned power utility. He
analyzes and reports on Estonian energy policies (e.g.
energy security, energy-related environmental
regulations, regional cooperation etc.),does site
visits (power plants and refineries) and attends
regional conferences. He follows regional news and
cable traffic on oil & gas supply and transit issues and
electricity production and markets. Econoff also
coordinates host country involvement in Voluntary
Visitor programs and conferences in the U.S. on bio-
fuels and renewable energy, coordinates USG visits on
energy related matters and briefs the Executive Office
on matters related to energy as they affect Estonia.

-- ESTH FSN: This FSN meets with officials from the
Ministry of Agriculture on energy matters, as well as
contacts at the state-owned power utility. She analyzes
and reports on Estonian energy policies and does site
visits. She follows regional news and cable traffic on
oil & gas supply and transit issues and electricity
production and markets. This FSN helps coordinate host
country involvement in Voluntary Visitor programs and
conferences in the U.S. on bio-fuels and renewable
energy. She also helps to coordinate visits to Estonia
on energy related matters and prepare briefing materials
for the Executive Office on matters related to energy as
they affect Estonia.

-- Economic/Commercial FSN: This FSN meets with
officials from the Ministry of Economy on energy
matters, as well as contacts at the state-owned power
utility. She reports on Estonian energy policies and
does site visits. She follows regional news and cable
traffic on oil & gas supply and transit issues and
electricity production and markets. Economic/Commercial
FSN helps coordinate visits to Estonia and prepare
briefing materials for the Executive Office on matters
related to energy as they affect Estonia.

-- D. Budget: Please provide the amounts of State
Department funds, including salary costs (prorated as
applicable),spent by your post in FY 2007 on energy-
related activities in two categories:

--- Personnel: the percentages stated above apply for
the full year of FY 2007 for the following grades and
steps: FS-03, step 02 (USD 62,935); ESTH FSN grade 10
(USD 48,215); Econ/Commercial FSN grade 9 (USD 46,661).

--- Programs: Post spent 648.87 USD on travel for
energy- related training and meetings in FY
2006, and 1,265.11 USD on energy-related training and
representational events in FY 2008 to date. For FY
2007, post spent a portion of Pol/Econ travel funds for
a section offsite to Helsinki (energy was covered as
one topic at this event) and in-country travel to the
Narva Power Plant in eastern Estonia.

PHILLIPS