IV
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 162
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding oil and gas pipeline routes
in the South Caucasus.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 14, 2001
Mr. KNOLLENBERG (for himself, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. PALLONE, and Mr.
SWEENEY) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding oil and gas
pipeline routes in the South Caucasus.
Whereas the development of strong political, economic, and
security ties among all the nations of the South
Caucasus, and between this region and the West, will fos-
ter stability in the Caucasus;
Whereas the development of open market economies and open
democratic systems in the nations of the South Caucasus
will provide positive incentives for international private
investment, increased trade, and other forms of commer-
cial interaction with the rest of the world;
Whereas Armenia has shown itself to be a valued ally of the
United States and the democratic nations of the world,
•HCON 162 IH
and the United States continues to cherish the strong
bonds that exist between the two nations;
Whereas Secretary of State Colin Powell has stated that Ar-
menia’s integration into international institutions re-
mains a foreign policy priority for the United States;
Whereas Armenia’s exclusion from regional economic and
commercial undertakings in the South Caucasus hinders
United States policy goals of promoting stability in that
region;
Whereas proposed oil and gas pipelines originating in the Az-
erbaijani capital of Baku and terminating at the Turkish
port of Ceyhan, via Georgia, specifically bypass Armenia
at the insistence of Azerbaijan;
Whereas other engineering and feasibility studies of proposed
Baku-Ceyhan pipelines also do not include Armenia;
Whereas the proposed Baku-Ceyhan pipeline is expected to
cost more than $2.7 billion;
Whereas a pipeline from Baku to Ceyhan that traverses Ar-
menia is more direct and would save approximately
$400,000,000 to $700,000,000 over a pipeline following
the proposed route through Georgia;
Whereas United States taxpayer funds have been used and
will continue to be used for planning and implementation
of South Caucasus pipeline projects; and
Whereas United States taxpayers demand that United States
funds be used effectively and efficiently: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
•HCON 162 IH
(1) the United States should not subsidize any
oil or gas pipeline in the South Caucasus whose
commercial viability is in doubt or which hinders the
United States goal of integrating Armenia into a se-
cure and prosperous regional economic framework;
(2) all proposals for South Caucasus oil and gas
pipeline routes should be carefully evaluated to en-
sure that all nations of the Caucasus are included in
consideration of energy and trade routes;
(3) any engineering and feasibility study, and
any project implementation, that utilizes United
States Government funds, regarding the Baku-
Ceyhan pipeline, or similar energy transportation
projects, must include trans-Armenian routes; and
(4) the Trade Development Agency should fund
and support an oil and gas pipeline feasibility study
to determine the cost savings of a trans-Armenia
Baku-Ceyhan pipeline.
Æ