•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 approxi-
mately 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 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- 
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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 unreli-
able 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 re-
sources; 
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 Cor-
ridor to provide substantial volumes of gas to Europe; 
Whereas at the third meeting of the bilateral Economic Part-
nership Commission, convened in Washington, DC, on 
April 18, 2012, the United States and the Republic of 
Azerbaijan reaffirmed the importance of a high-level dia-
logue 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 oppor-
tunity to diversify supply and allow new providers to par-
ticipate in the European Union energy market; 
Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council 
at its fifth meeting in Brussels on April 2, 2014, re-
affirmed the strategic importance of the Southern Gas 
Corridor to help diversify natural gas resources to Eu-
rope; 
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 es-
tablishment of critical energy security infrastructure; 
Whereas the existing South Caucasus Pipeline and its expan-
sion, which will transit Azerbaijan and Georgia, the 
Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, which will transit 
Turkey, and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which will tran-
sit Greece and Albania and connect to Italy, are the key 
components of the Southern Gas Corridor to deliver Cas-
pian 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 ef-
forts by the European Union to diversify its sources of 
gas supply; 
Whereas such 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, 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, 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; 
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•HRES 188 IH 
(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 Azer-
baijan, Turkey, Georgia, and other regional partners 
to make available additional gas and oil supplies to 
that market in a cost effective and secure manner. 
Æ 
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