Press Availability Following Meeting with President Mubarak

Remarks as Prepared For Delivery by Secretary Bodman

I have just met with President Mubarak. I appreciated the opportunity to update him on my trip to the Middle East.

Our discussion focused on ways to enhance the United States' relationship with energy-producing nations, promote sustained investment in conventional and alternative energy sources, and encourage enhancements in global energy efficiency.

I appreciate very much his good advice and his commitment to the longstanding friendship between the U.S. and Egypt. As President Bush said last week in Sharm el Sheikh, our friendship with Egypt is deep and broad. Egypt is a vital strategic partner of the United States.

We will work together to build a safer and more peaceful world - a world with safe, reliable, clean, affordable, and diverse energy supplies - and in considerably greater numbers than we now have. I would also add that any global energy strategy must include efforts to expand access to emissions-free nuclear power in a way that responsibly manages waste and dramatically reduces proliferation risks.

Today, I will discuss these very issues with the Minister of Electricity and Energy Hassan Younes and the Minster of Petroleum Sameh Fahmy, and I look forward to hearing about the strides Egypt is making in developing its energy sector and particularly providing power for its citizens in the years to come.

In these bilateral energy discussions, as well in a meeting I will have with Egyptian and international business leaders, I hope to discuss the roles both government and the private sector can play in promoting robust investment, in all stages of the energy supply chain, to meet projected global demand for energy.

There are currently no comments for this story. Be the first to add a comment!
Click here to add a comment about this story.