Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07BERLIN208, EB/ESC DAS PAUL SIMONS MEETINGS WITH GERMAN

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07BERLIN208.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07BERLIN208 2007-02-01 17:19 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Berlin
VZCZCXRO5204
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHRL #0208/01 0321719
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011719Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6880
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 000208 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/ESC DAS SIMONS, EUR/AGS O'KEEFFE, THE WHITE 
HOUSE FOR CEQ, NSC FOR MCKIBBEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG PGOV PREL SENV EU GM
SUBJECT: EB/ESC DAS PAUL SIMONS MEETINGS WITH GERMAN 
OFFICIALS ON ENERGY 
 
 
ENTIRE TEXT IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
1.  SUMMARY.  On January 25, EB DAS Paul Simons met with 
Foreign Office Policy Planning Staff Head Markus Ederer and 
Economic Ministry Director General for Energy Issues 
Andreas Schusseil to discuss energy issues during Germany's 
EU and G-8 presidencies.  Both German officials were 
positive about the President's energy agenda, unveiled in 
his State of the Union Address.  They also sought follow-up 
to the German proposal for U.S.-EU cooperation on research 
in clean energy technologies, arguing this was an opportunity 
to build on existing transatlantic cooperation 
in developing clean energy technologies.  Germany is trying 
to engage the Russians on transparency in the energy market 
and increased efficiency.  German foreign ministry officials 
also support bringing major Asian countries, such as India 
and China, closer to the IEA to ensure its continued 
relevance.  The next German national energy summit has been 
postponed to the end of June.  END SUMMARY. 
GERMAN REACTION TO PRESIDENT'S CLIMATE CHANGE/ENERGY AGENDA 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
2.  Both Ederer and Schusseil were very supportive of the 
President,s State of the Union message and interested in 
more details about the President's agenda on energy and 
climate.  This followed Simons, appearance on a panel with 
German environment minister Gabriel at the Handelsblatt 
Energy Conference, during which Gabriel also welcomed the 
President,s speech as a "major opening."  Simons discussed 
in detail the President's proposal to achieve 20% savings in 
projected gasoline use by 2017 with an increased use of 
biofuels and higher CAFE standards for vehicles.  Schusseil 
said that Germany is also interested in increasing its 
biofuels quota to 12.5% of total consumption of gasoline. 
The EU goal is currently 10%.  Schusseil added that one of 
the barriers to raising the percentage is the fear this might 
lead to shortages of food items elsewhere or encourage 
CO2-intensive agriculture techniques such as deforestation. 
Another sensitivity is paying biofuel subsidies to foreigners 
if imports need to increase to meet these targets. 
 
3.  Both Ederer and Schusseil raised the issue of emissions 
trading discussions in the U.S.  The Germans are interested 
in bringing the U.S. into post-Kyoto emissions targets as 
well as in discussions in the U.S. about a cap and trade 
system.  Simons replied that the U.S. is focusing on ways to 
bring other major developing economies into any such 
arrangement, especially China and India.  Only a regime that 
covers all major economies can be successful.    Schusseil 
complained the emissions trading system in Germany was too 
expensive and energy companies had passed on the cost of 
emissions trading certificates to customers, even though they 
had received them for no cost from the government.  As a 
result, the Economic Ministry is looking at other mechanisms 
for distributing certificates such as auctions and is 
considering strengthening competition law. 
U.S. EU COOPERATION ON CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
4.  Ederer raised the status of the American response to 
the German proposal for cooperation in renewable energy 
technologies.  He understood from his deputy, Victor 
Elbling, that State energy coordinator  Manuel is working on 
coordinating the USG response.  Ederer noted this was the 
perfect opportunity for the U.S. to appeal to the European 
public and show that it was engaged with European partners in 
working to create new technologies that helped the 
environment.  It would also convince doubters of the U.S. 
commitment to working with Europeans to address climate 
issues.  Ederer is confident energy/climate is one area 
progress can be made before the U.S.-EU Summit but added that 
time was short; an American response was needed soon.  The 
U.K. are supportive of the proposal and the French "are not 
negative."  The opportunity to work with the EU on funding 
new energy technologies is a perfect example of an area in 
which both the U.S. and EU can be proactive.  Ederer also 
raised the possibility of conducting a private sector 
roundtable to discuss further U.S.-EU cooperation in 
developing new energy technologies.  He emphasized that if 
both the U.S. and EU pooled venture capital and R&D efforts 
in this area, they would be unstoppable.  Ederer said other 
issues such as deregulation and agreeing on joint standards 
are more difficult and will take more time.  Schusseil also 
 
BERLIN 00000208  002 OF 002 
 
 
endorsed the energy proposal, emphasizing that there is a lot 
of ongoing transatlantic cooperation in developing new energy 
technologies, of which many Europeans are unaware. 
Simons confirmed the German proposal was being studied 
closely in Washington and the U.S. side was preparing a 
response. 
 
ST. PETERSBURG ENERGY PRINCIPLES 
-------------------------------- 
5.  Simons sought out German views on  ways to build upon 
the St. Petersburg energy principles in this year,s G8 
summit.   Ederer responded that while some stocktaking would 
be desirable, Russian President Putin counter EU critics 
(including at the Soichi summit) with examples of how other 
G-8 partners do not live up to their commitments to open 
energy markets, for example, by failing to provide 
third party access to LNG infrastructure. He added the 
Germans are trying to translate these principles into the 
EU-Russian relationship, and said that Germany is looking 
into the idea of having the "plus five" countries at the 
summit endorse the St. Petersburg principles.  Meanwhile, 
Germany will continue to stress energy efficiency and its 
links to  energy security.  Ederer suggested that Germany and 
the U.S. remain in close touch on  energy agenda. 
 
IEA ISSUES 
---------- 
6.  On the IEA, the German Foreign Office believes it is 
important to engage developing Asian economies in 
international governance structures.  Otherwise, the IEA 
risks becoming irrelevant.  Ederer pointed out the proposed 
conference under the G-8 with plus 5 countries on energy 
security and climate was designed to start this dialogue. 
Schusseil also endorsed the need to bring China and India 
into the IEA process.  Simons agreed, saying the U.S. and 
Japan were pushing the hardest to integrate China and India 
into the IEA. 
 
GERMAN NATIONAL ENERGY SUMMIT POSTPONED 
--------------------------------------- 
7.  Ederer confirmed that the third German national energy 
summit will be postponed until the summer.  He said the 
government intends to address the nuclear issue at that 
time.  While it is important to send clear signs to 
industry in order to attract needed investment, Schusseil 
said the most that will happen would be an extension of the 
operating life of existing plants.  Ederer bemoaned the 
fact that Germans seem to have few qualms about buying 
nuclear energy from neighboring countries, but do not want 
the plants in Germany.  Schusseil said the summit would 
likely take place at the end of June.  He noted that the 
IEA's focus on nuclear energy as essential for any country 
concerned about CO2 emissions is helpful to discussions in 
Germany about changing its commitment to a nuclear 
phase-out.  Schusseil confirmed that the Economics Ministry 
was undertaking a major effort inside the German bureaucracy 
to revisit the issue of nuclear phase out, using reduced 
carbon emissions as the principal argument to bring around 
the critics.  While he did not believe that Germany would 
shift its opposition to new nuclear plants prior to the 
expiry of the current coalition agreement in 2009, he did 
expect that Germany with Merkel,s support would find some 
way to extend the life of its existing nuclear plants beyond 
their current phase out schedule. 
 
8.  This cable has been cleared with DAS Simons. 
TIMKEN JR