IV 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 284 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to pro-
moting energy security of European allies through opening up the South-
ern Gas Corridor. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 27, 2013 
Mr. TURNER (for himself, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. 
COHEN, Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mr. LANCE, Mr. MORAN, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, 
Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. WILSON 
of South Carolina, Mr. COTTON, Mr. MARINO, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. 
GUTHRIE, Mr. STIVERS, Mrs. BEATTY, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of Cali-
fornia, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. BORDALLO, and Ms. MENG) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with 
respect to promoting energy security of European allies 
through opening up the Southern Gas Corridor. 
Whereas reducing vulnerabilities of European allies to gas 
supply disruption and to this end development of multiple 
sources of gas is a key component of efforts to ensure 
European energy security; 
Whereas diversification of sources of gas and the routes of 
their delivery will increase competitiveness in the Euro-
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•HRES 284 IH 
pean market and will help stabilize European and global 
energy prices; 
Whereas the Caspian Sea region strategically located at the 
crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East holds 
significant energy resources and proven natural gas re-
serves of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and 
Uzbekistan are estimated at 735 trillion cubic feet or 
about 11 percent of the world’s reserves; 
Whereas oil and gas exports from the Caspian Sea region are 
projected to more than double over the next 25 years; 
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 inter-
national relations and commerce between those countries; 
Whereas Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia have worked col-
laboratively with the United States, European allies, and 
other regional partners to jointly develop and promote en-
ergy projects in the Caspian Sea region for almost two 
decades; 
Whereas energy exploration in this region is a remarkable ex-
ample of international cooperation with over 34 compa-
nies 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 re-
gion, including construction of the landmark Baku- 
Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas 
pipeline that are main arteries delivering Caspian energy 
resources to global markets; 
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•HRES 284 IH 
Whereas further energy exploration in the Caspian Sea region 
and its westward exports will reduce the dependence of 
United States allies on energy from the volatile Middle 
East region; 
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 Republic of Azerbaijan-European Union Joint 
Declaration of January 13, 2011, established the Repub-
lic of Azerbaijan as a substantial contributor to, and en-
abler of, the Southern Gas Corridor; 
Whereas at the third meeting of their 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 dis-
cuss issues of mutual interest in the energy sector, in-
cluding establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor; 
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 oppor-
tunity to diversify supply and allow new providers to par-
ticipate in the European Union energy market; 
Whereas the off-shore Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan is one 
of the world’s largest gas-condensate fields, with over 30 
trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas and 240 million tons 
of condensate deposits; 
Whereas development of the second phase of the Shah Deniz 
project, which is a stepping stone in opening the South-
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ern Gas Corridor will deliver the first sizeable quantities 
of alternative gas to European markets from the Caspian 
Sea region; 
Whereas the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) 
project launched by Azerbaijan and Turkey will be a key 
part of the Southern Gas Corridor linking the gas re-
sources of the Caspian Sea to the European markets; 
Whereas the two possible Southern Gas Corridor routes, 
Nabucco West, which would run from Turkey through 
Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary to Austria, and the 
Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which would run from Turkey 
through Greece and Albania to Italy, will improve re-
gional energy stability, as well as advance overall regional 
development and prosperity; 
Whereas the Southern Gas Corridor complements other ef-
forts by the European Union to diversify its sources of 
gas supply; 
Whereas realization of the Shah Deniz and these projects will 
help open up upstream development in the regions be-
yond Europe’s southeastern frontiers; 
Whereas these energy projects have stimulated social and eco-
nomic progress in the region, promoting friendly relations 
and economic cooperation among regional countries; 
Whereas the development of natural gas resources and build-
ing of new routes to European markets for energy pro-
ducers in the South Caucasus and in Central Asia will 
further provide economic development and consolidate po-
litical independence of these countries; and 
Whereas apart from establishing direct energy and transport 
links between Europe and the countries of the Caspian 
region, these projects ensure Western orientation of these 
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nations, help promote market-oriented principles and 
practices, and further contribute to their integration with 
the European and Euro-Atlantic institutions: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That— 
(1) the House of Representatives— 
(A) notes that further energy exploration 
in the Caspian Sea region will enhance energy 
security of European allies; 
(B) affirms that it is in the national inter-
est of the United States to support and enhance 
Europe’s energy security by opening up the 
Southern Gas Corridor; and 
(C) encourages the Administration to con-
tinue to actively engage with the Governments 
of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, and other re-
gional partners to provide support for new and 
ongoing projects; and 
(2) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that it is in the national interest of the United 
States to support and enhance Europe’s energy se-
curity by working with the Governments of Turkey, 
Azerbaijan, and Georgia and its partners to make 
available additional gas and oil supplies to that mar-
ket in a cost effective and secure manner. 
Æ 
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