IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 188 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to promoting energy security of European allies through the opening of the 

Southern Gas Corridor. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 26, 2015 

Mr. TURNER (for himself, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. 

COHEN, Mr. GUTHRIE, Ms. MENG, Mr. MARINO, Mr. GIBSON, Mr. 

BRIDENSTINE, Mr. PERRY, and Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with 

respect to promoting energy security of European allies 

through the opening of the Southern Gas Corridor. 

Whereas reducing the vulnerability of European allies to gas 

supply disruptions and developing multiple sources of gas 

are key components of efforts to ensure European energy 

security; 

Whereas diversification of sources of gas and the routes of 

delivery will foster a more competitive and transparent 

energy market, helping to provide European allies with 

greater choice and independence; 


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•HRES 188 IH 

Whereas the Caspian Sea region, strategically located at the 

crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, holds 

significant energy resources, including the proven natural 

gas reserves of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, 

and Uzbekistan, estimated to be 741 trillion cubic feet or 

approximately 11 percent of the world’s reserves; 

Whereas the off-shore Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan is one 

of the world’s largest gas-condensate fields, with approximately 40 trillion cubic feet of gas in place; 

Whereas development of the second phase of the Shah Deniz 

project, which is a stepping stone in the opening of the 

Southern Gas Corridor, will deliver the first sizeable 

quantities of alternative gas to European markets from 

the Caspian Sea region; 

Whereas it is the policy of the United States in the countries 

of the South Caucasus and Central Asia to assist in the 

development of infrastructure necessary for energy and 

trade on an East-West axis in order to build strong international relations and commerce between those countries; 

Whereas Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia have worked collaboratively with the United States, European allies, and 

other regional partners to jointly develop and promote energy projects in the Caspian Sea region for almost two 

decades; 

Whereas energy exploration in this region is a remarkable example of international cooperation with over 34 companies representing 15 countries, including the United 

States, engaged in these projects; 

Whereas successive United States administrations supported 

development of energy resources in the Caspian Sea region, including construction of the landmark BakuVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:36 Mar 26, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR188.IH HR188

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•HRES 188 IH 

Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas 

pipeline that are main arteries delivering Caspian energy 

resources to global markets; 

Whereas further energy exploration in the Caspian Sea region 

and its westward exports will reduce the dependence of 

United States allies on energy from volatile and unreliable suppliers; 

Whereas the priority now becomes the realization of the 

Southern Gas Corridor to deliver additional volumes of 

natural gas from the Caspian Sea region to European 

markets; 

Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council 

at its first meeting in Washington, DC, on November 4, 

2009, stated a commitment to promote the Southern Gas 

Corridor to enhance global energy security; 

Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council 

at its second meeting in Brussels on November 19, 2010, 

was encouraged by progress of the development of the 

Southern Gas Corridor to diversify Europe’s energy resources; 

Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council 

at its third meeting in Washington, DC, on November 

28, 2011, reiterated support for the Southern Gas Corridor to provide substantial volumes of gas to Europe; 

Whereas at the third meeting of the bilateral Economic Partnership Commission, convened in Washington, DC, on 

April 18, 2012, the United States and the Republic of 

Azerbaijan reaffirmed the importance of a high-level dialogue on energy security in the Caspian region to discuss 

issues of mutual interest in the energy sector, including 

establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor; 


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•HRES 188 IH 

Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council 

at its fourth meeting in Brussels on December 5, 2012, 

noted progress on the realization of the Southern Gas 

Corridor and reaffirmed that it remains a pivotal opportunity to diversify supply and allow new providers to participate in the European Union energy market; 

Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council 

at its fifth meeting in Brussels on April 2, 2014, reaffirmed the strategic importance of the Southern Gas 

Corridor to help diversify natural gas resources to Europe; 

Whereas Energy Ministers from Canada, France, Germany, 

Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, 

and the European Union Commissioner for Energy at the 

G–7 Energy Ministerial meeting in Rome on May 6, 

2014, stated support for the Southern Gas Corridor to 

provide new energy supply routes for Europe; 

Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council 

at its sixth meeting in Brussels on December 3, 2014, 

recognized the importance of the September 2014 

groundbreaking of the Southern Gas Corridor to the establishment of critical energy security infrastructure; 

Whereas the existing South Caucasus Pipeline and its expansion, which will transit Azerbaijan and Georgia, the 

Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, which will transit 

Turkey, and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which will transit Greece and Albania and connect to Italy, are the key 

components of the Southern Gas Corridor to deliver Caspian Sea natural gas to Europe; 


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•HRES 188 IH 

Whereas the Southern Gas Corridor will improve Europe’s 

energy diversification and security, as well as advance 

overall regional development and prosperity; 

Whereas the establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor lays 

the foundation for increased natural gas and regional 

pipeline infrastructure development to bring additional 

energy resources to Europe; 

Whereas the Southern Gas Corridor complements other efforts by the European Union to diversify its sources of 

gas supply; 

Whereas such energy projects have stimulated social and economic progress in the region, promoting friendly relations 

and economic cooperation among regional countries; 

Whereas the development of natural gas resources and building of new routes to European markets for energy producers in the South Caucasus and in Central Asia will 

further provide economic development and consolidate political independence of these countries; and 

Whereas apart from establishing direct energy and transport 

links between Europe and the countries of the Caspian 

region, such projects foster Western orientation of these 

nations, help promote market-oriented principles and 

practices, and further contribute to their integration with 

the European and Euro-Atlantic institutions: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the House of Representatives— 

3 (A) notes that further energy exploration 

4 in the Caspian Sea region will enhance energy 

5 security of European allies; 


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•HRES 188 IH 

1 (B) affirms that it is in the national inter2 est of the United States to support and enhance 

3 Europe’s energy security by opening up the 

4 Southern Gas Corridor; and 

5 (C) encourages the Administration to con6 tinue to actively engage with the Governments 

7 of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, and other re8 gional partners to provide support for new and 

9 ongoing projects; and 

10 (2) it is the sense of the House of Representa11 tives that it is in the national interest of the United 

12 States to support and enhance Europe’s energy se13 curity by working with the Governments of Azer14 baijan, Turkey, Georgia, and other regional partners 

15 to make available additional gas and oil supplies to 

16 that market in a cost effective and secure manner. 

Æ 


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