II 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2461 

To prohibit United States assistance to develop or promote any rail connections or railway-related connections that traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan, Tbilisi, Georgia, and Kars, Turkey, and that specifically exclude 

cities in Armenia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 28, 2006 

Mr. SANTORUM (for himself and Mr. MENENDEZ) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To prohibit United States assistance to develop or promote 

any rail connections or railway-related connections that 

traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan, Tbilisi, Georgia, 

and Kars, Turkey, and that specifically exclude cities 

in Armenia. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘South Caucasus Inte5 gration and Open Railroads Act of 2006’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) United States policy toward the countries of 

2 the South Caucasus is intended to foster regional 

3 stability and enhanced cooperation. 

4 (2) The development of political, economic, and 

5 security ties among all countries of the South 

6 Caucasus and between the South Caucasus region 

7 and the West, will enhance regional stability and ad8 vance United States interests. 

9 (3) The development of open and integrated 

10 transportation routes in the countries of the South 

11 Caucasus will provide positive incentives for inter12 national private investment, increased trade, and 

13 other forms of commercial interaction with the rest 

14 of the world. 

15 (4) The Republic of Armenia is a valued ally of 

16 the United States and democratic countries through17 out the world. The United States continues to value 

18 the strong bond that exists between Armenia and 

19 the United States. 

20 (5) The exclusion of Armenia from regional eco21 nomic and commercial undertakings in the South 

22 Caucasus undermines the United States policy goal 

23 of promoting a stable and cooperative environment 

24 in the region. 


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1 (6) A new railroad has been proposed con2 necting Baku, Azerbaijan, Tbilisi, Georgia, and 

3 Kars, Turkey, which would cost at least 

4 $400,000,000 to $800,000,000 to build. 

5 (7) The proposed railroad specifically bypasses 

6 Armenia and serves to isolate Armenia from East7 West commercial corridors. 

8 (8) A railroad that connects Tbilisi, Georgia, 

9 Gyumri, Armenia, and Kars, Turkey, already exists. 

10 (9) The existing railroad is in working condition 

11 and could be operational within weeks of an agree12 ment among Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey, with 

13 minor repairs needed in specific locations. 

14 (10) The leading role of the Government of 

15 Azerbaijan in developing the proposed Baku-Tbilisi16 Kars railroad and other similar actions by the Gov17 ernment of Azerbaijan serve to undermine and avoid 

18 a just solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 

19 and potentially destabilize the region. 

20 SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE FOR 

21 THE PROPOSED BAKU-TBILISI-KARS RAIL22 ROAD. 

23 (a) PROHIBITION.—Assistance under the provisions 

24 of law described in subsection (b) may not be made avail25 able to develop or promote any rail connections or railwayVerDate Aug 31 2005 00:23 Mar 29, 2006 Jkt 049196 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2461.IS S2461

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1 related connections that do not traverse or connect with 

2 Armenia, and do traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan, 

3 Tbilisi, Georgia, and Kars, Turkey. 

4 (b) PROVISIONS OF LAW.—The provisions of law re5 ferred to in subsection (a) are the following: 

6 (1) Title IV of chapter 2 of part I of the For7 eign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2191 et 

8 seq.; relating to the Overseas Private Investment). 

9 (2) Chapter 12 of part I of the Foreign Assist10 ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2296 et seq.; relating 

11 to assistance for the countries of the South 

12 Caucasus and Central Asia). 

13 (3) Section 661 of the Foreign Assistance Act 

14 of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2421; relating to the Trade and 

15 Development Agency). 

16 (4) The Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 (12 

17 U.S.C. 635 et seq.). 

18 (5) Any other provision of law. 

Æ 


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