Labrit
Good morning

Prime Minister Kalvitis, Lithuania Prime Minister Kirkilas, Estonian Prime Minister Ansip, commissioner Piebalgs, Ambassador Gray, Excellencies, honored guests, members of media, ladies and gentlemen; it gives me great pleasure to welcome all of you to this Baltic Regional Energy Forum. I want to especially thank you Prime Minister Kalvitis and your office for putting our U.S. Embassy Riga, together with Dr. Ojars Kehris, Dr. Alexandrs Lebedevs and the entire Baltic Forum so that Latvia could serve as a host in bringing together such a wide representation of our European friends and partners on this most important topic. Between the distinguished panelist and guest, we have close to 400 attending this forum. Not only from the U.S. and Baltic countries, but representatives from Germany, Russia, Great Britain, Poland, Sweden, Finland, France, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland.

One of the main goals of president Bush's energy initiative, is to bring friends and partners from around the world, including our friends here in Europe, to have a dialogue on energy security and global climate change.

This energy forum here in Latvia, filled with distinguished and knowledgeable panelist from both the public and private sector is a model for what can be done elsewhere. No matter how small or large a country is, what is imperative is that we all come together to establish a dialogue to resolve this global challenge.

President Bush announced on May 31st, that we will lead global efforts to develop, by the end of 2008, a post 2012 international framework to address climate change. And I am pleased to have my colleague ambassador Boyden Gray, our ambassador to the European Union, whom President Bush relies on heavily when considering energy policy issues. Also John Mizroch – Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the department and also Matt Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, for European and Eurasian affairs. All will also address our president’s initiatives.

We also have representation from the private sector. General Electric is here to discuss the company's most recent advances in energy conservation technologies, renewable energy research (including advances in wind power), and future possibilities for nuclear power. We have the chief scientist from Westinghouse Corporation, Dr. Mario Carelli, to speak on next-generation nuclear technologies. Groglass will speak to the company's cutting edge energy conservation products.

The partnership between the public and private sectors is crucial because these energy challenges will not be overcome by either sector alone.

By the end of next year, the U.S. and other nations will set a long-term global goal for reducing greenhouse gases. To help develop this goal, President Bush will convene a series of meetings of nations that produce most greenhouse gas emissions including nations with rapidly growing economies like India and China.

The way to meet this challenge of energy and global climate change is through technology, and the United States has taken that lead. The world is on the verge of great breakthroughs that will help us become better stewards of the environment. From 2001 to 2006, the U.S. government devoted more than $29 billion to climate science, technology, international assistance, and incentive programs. We're investing in new technologies to produce electricity in cleaner ways, including solar and wind energy, although clean coal technologies will take time.

We're spending a lot of money on clean, safe nuclear power. If we are all truly interested in cleaning up the environment, or interested in renewable sources of energy, the best way to do so is through safe nuclear power.

We're also going to work to conclude talks, with other nations on eliminating tariffs and other barriers to clean energy technologies and services, by the end of year, so other countries can make good use of these advances as soon as possible.

In conclusion, as you go about the next two days, listening and learning, knowing the vast participation we have at this forum – remember, what we all do have in common on this issue, and that ladies and gentlemen an historic opportunity to address these energy issues is an open dialogue together. The impact of energy decisions taken today will endure for the next century and beyond. All of us owe it to our children, to our grandchildren, to ourselves, and to our environment, to see this dialogue and cooperation through so as to lead to a successful and durable future. Congratulations to those that have worked hard on putting this forum together, my embassy included. And thank you for those who have come far and near to attend this Baltic Regional Energy Forum.

Source: Embassy of the U. S. of America to Latvia