The George C. Marshall Association – Romania in conjunction with the Presidential Office of Romania and the US and German Embassies hosted a conference on 26 October entitled, “Energy – Cooperation Development’. The conference, held at Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest, included a keynote address by H.E. Mr. Traian Basescu, President of Romania, as well as opening remarks by various representatives to include the US Ambassador to Romania, H.E. Mr. Nicholas Taubman; German Ambassador to Romania, H.E. Mr. Roland Lohkamp; US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Mr. Matthew Bryza; Mr. Mihail Savva, Ministy of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation and Marshall Center US Deputy Director, Mr. James Roberts. Marshall Center Professor, Dr. Roger Kangas, supported the conference with a presentation on “Securing Energy: Sources, Supplies, and Geopolitics.” Approximately 350 government officials, business professionals and foreign embassy delegates listened to recent regional energy cooperation initiatives as well as economic and trade developments in the energy sector. Government representatives as well as commercial company and regulatory body officials from Romania, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Germany and Greece gave presentations that emphasized cooperation, diversification and transparency as keys to energy security.

Click to enlarge Dr. Doru Frunzulica (EP 1995-1), President, Romanian Alumni Association, opens the conference.	Click to enlarge H.E. Mr. Traian Basescu, President of Romania, gives the keynote address.	Click to enlarge The audience of security and business professionals listens attentively to the President of Romania.
Click to enlarge US Ambassador Nicholas Taubman addresses the conference.	Click to enlarge German Ambassador Roland Lohkamp makes opening remarks.	Click to enlarge US Deputy Director Mr. Roberts thanks the Romanian Alumni Association for their work in organizing the Conference.
Click to enlarge Ms. Marilena Butiu (EP 1999-1) stands to ask a question of the panelists.	Click to enlarge Ms. Anca Ionescu, US Office of Defense Cooperation (far right) joins (l to r) Ms. Anina Liana Goia (EP 2002-4) and fellow classmates LTC Constantin Adrian Balaban Grajdan and MAJ Adrian Marcel Iancu, both EPASS 2005-4.	Click to enlarge LTG (ret.) Alexandru Grumaz, SES 2005-3 (left) joins COL Marin Bancos (EPASS 2006-4) at the coffee break.
Click to enlarge Sr. Inspector Mariana Cojocaru (EPASS 2006-1) pauses for a photo with COL (ret.) Dr. Constantin Balaban (EP 1994-1).	Click to enlarge Ms. Corina Macoveanu (LC 2003-7) chats with Mr. Nicolae Arsene (LC 1999-2, SES 2000-2).	Click to enlarge (Second from right) Mr. Rick Steinke, Chief, Graduate Support meets with some of the alumni attending the conference; (l to r) Mr. Florian Ungur (EPASS 2005-6), Capt. Georgiana Constantinescu (LPASS 2005-6), MAJ Ginel Blaga (LPASS 2005-6) and Chief Commissar Ion Gane (EPASS 2006-1).
Click to enlarge Marshall Center Professor, Dr. Roger Kangas, (third from left) gives his presentation.	Click to enlarge Ms. Mihaela Stefanescu, LPASS 2005-1 (standing) ask a question of the panel.	Click to enlarge LTC Catalin Iancu (EP 2002-4) looks through the Romanian graduate book.
Click to enlarge Caught on camera are (l to r) Mr. Octavian Gabriel Alalitei (EPASS 2005-1) and BG (ret.) Dr. Mihail Ionescu (SES 20002).	Click to enlarge Pausing during a break are recent graduates Capt. Marius Mitrus (LPASS 2006-4) and Commissar Petrica Tache (EPASS 2006-4).	Click to enlarge (l to r) In the front row Dr. Doru Frunzulica, H.E. Mr. Traian Basescu and Mr. James Roberts are joined by the over 100 graduates attending the conference for a group photo.