208. Editorial Note
The Energy Ministers of the member states of the International Energy Agency convened in Paris May 21–22, 1979. The group observed that the oil market was extremely tight and concluded that it would likely remain so through the 1980s. While the Ministers noted that the member countries had substantially strengthened their energy programs, they also believed that they should make additional efforts to strengthen these programs. An earlier decision to enact measures to reduce IEA demand for oil on the world market by 2 million barrels per day was confirmed, and the Energy Ministers decided that it would be necessary to continue such efforts in the following year. In addition, they agreed on a set of principles and policies for enhancing coal utilization, production, and trade, and stressed the importance of natural gas, nuclear power, and conservation for reducing oil import dependence. (Telegram 135815 to all diplomatic posts, May 26; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, D790240–0976) The meeting’s final communiqué was transmitted in telegram 16460 from Paris, May 22. (Ibid., D790232–0857) The communiqué is printed in Scott, The History of the International Energy Agency, volume III, pages 358–363.