Thank you for coming here today.

As you know, President Bush asked me and some of my colleagues to come to Iraq to meet our counterparts face to face and talk to them about how we can help them build for the future.

As nations we are partners.  And I hope that my coming here today helps demonstrate the ongoing commitment of the United States and of the Department of Energy.

Energy is important no matter what country you’re from. 

Electricity can bring life-saving and life sustaining public health essentials to a community and crude oil can power the engines of a growing economy.

But here in Iraq, the electricity and the oil sectors are closely intertwined.  Iraqis need electricity to get oil production up; and they need the revenue from crude oil sales to build the electricity infrastructure it needs.

I brought with me some of my top aides in the electricity and oil sectors so that we could all sit down with the Iraqi leadership and offer our assistance.

Today I met with Prime Minister Al-Malaki, Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih, and the Ministers of Oil, Electricity, and Science and Technology.

I congratulated them on their new government and I listened to their vision for the future of Iraq – specifically how they seek to achieve those visions, and how we can help.

Governing is difficult in the best of circumstances, but Iraq is facing daunting tasks.

As the people of Iraq work through the issues of building a new democracy and a new economy, the people of the United States stand with them.

And beginning today, I pledge a strengthened partnership from the U.S. Department of Energy to the Iraqi ministers of oil, electricity, and science and technology.

First, the department invites officials from each of the ministries to come to the United States to tour our facilities and ask questions of our professionals. 

We have expertise in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution as well as regulation and oversight. 

And in the oil and natural gas sectors, we have technical and regulatory experts, and people with significant experience in demand and supply forecasting.

And the Department of Energy is also the biggest funder of the physical sciences in the nation and is home to 21 national science laboratories.  These laboratories do ground-breaking research in chemistry and physics.

I am also announcing an intent to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity. This M-O-U will promote increased cooperation between the two nations in the areas of energy analysis, science, technology, and energy awareness and education.

I also commit the relevant agencies within my department to a continued dialogue with the Ministries of oil, electricity, and science and technology.  And I will encourage them to find the resources necessary to provide the Iraqi people with the help that they need. 

Today’s renewed commitment will mark an important moment in our relationship between the Department of Energy and the Ministries of oil, electricity, and science and technology. 

And I look forward to working with them in the future and seeing the successes of a free Iraq.

Before I take a few questions, I would also like to thank the American and coalition and Iraqi troops who are working hard here in Iraq. 

I’m looking forward to spending some more time with some of the American troops a little later.  On behalf of a grateful nation, I want to say thank you and we’re proud of you.

Thank you and now I’ll take a few questions.

Location:
Baghdad, Iraq

Media contact(s):
Craig Stevens, (202) 586-4940