ARGENTINA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON ENERGY AND CLIMATE

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000435


DEPT FOR WHA/EPSC - FAITH CORNEILLE AND FRANCES COLON
DOE FOR LINDSAY EINSTEIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ENERG KSUM SENV KGHG AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON ENERGY AND CLIMATE
PARTNERSHIP OF THE AMERICAS

REF: STATE 34126


1. On April 13, ESTCouns met with Gabriela Martinic, Deputy
Director of the MFA's Office of Regional Affairs and Deputy Summit
Coordinator, to relay points in reftel regarding the Energy and
Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). Martinic expressed
interest in the initiative and appreciation for the collaborative
tone in which it was presented. She noted that renewable energy is
an area of great potential for Argentina and one in which
cooperation could certainly prove useful. She pledged to raise the
ECPA within the MFA and among other GoA agencies, in particular the
Energy Secretariat, in advance of the Summit of the Americas.


2. Visiting U.S. Summit Coordinator Ambassador Hector Morales met
on March 10 with Energy Under Secretary Luis Alberto Beuret.
Morales inquired then about Argentina's interest in cooperating on
renewable energy. Beuret voiced appreciation for the opportunity to
provide input, and shared his government's enthusiasm for U.S.
engagement in this area. He outlined Argentina's huge potential in
solar and wind power and highlighted energy efficiency and
conservation as another area of potential cooperation.


3. ESTCouns called Under Secretary Beuret on April 13 to inform him
of the ECPA initiative. Beuret said he thought that President
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner would welcome it. He stressed his
own readiness to work together and reiterated the areas of interest
for Argentina: biomass, solar and wind power, and energy efficiency.


KELLY