US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE3075

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 003075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY ZOELLICK AND U/S SHINER 
STATE ALSO FOR EB/ESC/IEC/GARVERICK 
DOE FOR DAS HARBERT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG, EPET, PREL, ECON, NL, IEA 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/ENERGY SECURITY: DUTCH HOPING FOR 
DEPUTY SECRETARY'S ATTENDANCE AT FEBRUARY CONFERENCE 
 
 
1.  On November 9, Reinout Vos, division head in the MFA,s 
Economic Cooperation Department, told emboffs the GONL is 
hopeful Deputy Secretary Zoellick will attend a transatlantic 
energy security conference it is organizing February 6-8, 
2006 in The Hague. Vos said Foreign Minister Bot, who 
personally invited Zoellick at their October meeting, is the 
driving force behind the conference. 
 
2.  Vos emphasized this was not a conference on the economics 
of energy, but would focus on &the geopolitics of energy 
security.8 He said the 40-60 person guest list would include 
leading energy commentators, industry executives and senior 
policy makers from the International Energy Agency,  NATO the 
European Commission, EU member and candidate states, Turkey, 
Canada and the U.S. The Nixon Center and the Netherlands 
Institute for International Relations are providing support 
for the conference. In order to encourage frank and open 
discussions, representatives would be limited to those 
multilateral organizations and countries listed above and 
Chatham House rules would govern the conference. 
 
3.  Vos shared a draft program for the conference. It 
included separate sessions on American and European 
perspectives on transatlantic cooperation on energy security 
as well as separate discussions on key geographic regions and 
countries such as Russia; the Caspian Basin and Turkey; Latin 
America, The Gulf; Africa; and Asia. Working lunches and 
dinners would focus on government and industry cooperation 
and a briefing from NATO, among other topics. If the 
conference is successful, the GONL envisioned a follow-up 
gathering of the parties in Washington in the second half of 
2006. 
 
4.  Comment:  With energy security a growing concern and an 
agenda item during Russia's 2006 G-8 presidency, this 
conference could be a valuable opportunity for high-level 
transatlantic consultation.  End Comment. 
BLAKEMAN