URUGUAY IS ENERGIZED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ENERGY

UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 000210 SIPDIS WHA/BSC FOR DASCHBACH WHA/EPSC FOR FAITH CORNEILLE AND FRANCES COLON STATE ALSO PASS TO DOE - LINDSEY EINSTEIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ENRG KSUM SENV KGHG UY SUBJECT: URUGUAY IS ENERGIZED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ENERGY CLIMATE PARTNERSHIP OF THE AMERICAS REF: STATE 34126 ¶1. Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Industry and Energy Officials welcomed reftel points previewing President Obama,s invitation to join an Economic and Climate Partnership of the Americas. Econoff met with the Director General for International Economic Affairs at the MFA, Ambassador Ricardo Nario, and the Acting Director of Energy Pablo Mosto on April 15. Nario praised the initiative and said that in principle Uruguay was interested in all of the proposed working groups, adding that the Ministry of Industry and Energy would debate how Uruguay would engage in the partnership. He praised President Obama for &looking to the South8 on an issue of fundamental importance to the region, adding that the voluntary and flexible framework envisioned would strengthen the initiative. ¶2. Mosto also welcomed the initiative and highlighted Uruguayan interest in energy efficiency, renewable energy and energy poverty issues. NOTE: The GOU specifically sought to include energy efficiency in the Alternative Energy MOU signed by A/S Shannon and FM Fernandez in September. END NOTE. Mosto commented that there were innumerable areas for discussion within each topic, and agreed that Uruguay could play an early role in helping shape the conversations. ¶3. The GOU does not have representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Energy in its delegation participating in the Summit, but Mosto agreed that it would be important for the GOU to be represented at the Americas Energy Symposium in Lima. Schandlbauer