1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Silk Road Strategy Act of
2006
.
(b)The table of
contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title;
table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I—United States policy toward countries in Central Asia and
the South Caucasus
Sec. 101. Relationship between the United States and the
countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
Sec. 102. Protecting United States business abroad.
TITLE II—Protection and promotion of United States interests in
Central Asia and the South Caucasus
Sec. 201. Relationships between the United States and the
countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus since passage of the Silk Road
Strategy Act of 1999.
Sec. 202. United States interests in the countries of Central
Asia and the South Caucasus.
Sec. 203. Sense of Congress on safeguarding of United States
interests in the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
2.In this Act:
(1)Central asia
and the south caucasusThe
term Central Asia and the South Caucasus means the area including
the countries of Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
<enum>I</enum><header>United States policy toward countries in
Central Asia and the South Caucasus</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDdc29d74f4248421984025e14f180c4fa" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>101.</enum><header>Relationship between
the United States and the countries of Central Asia and the South
Caucasus</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID618cb2415e28497887378a848854d5ae"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The United States has
significant long-term interests in the countries of Central Asia and the South
Caucasus. These interests concern security, economic development, energy, and
human rights. Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States to seek
political and economic stability in the social development of, and cooperative
relationships with, the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus,
including by providing assistance in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.).</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDd395b5617c7244bd8d101bb15dc2ea7c"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Democracy,
tolerance, and the development of civil society</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the policy of the United States to
promote independent, democratic government and the protection of human rights,
tolerance, and pluralism in Central Asia and the South Caucasus within the
overall framework of United States national interests, including the global war
on terrorism, counterproliferation efforts, the fight against extremism and
ethnic and religious fanaticism, and energy security.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID3f8ca3234d4c41ebb1849a0198344a62"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conflict
resolution</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the policy
of the United States to aid in the resolution of ethnic, religious, interstate,
and intraregional conflicts and to support political, economic, and security
cooperation in Central Asia and the South Caucasus in the interest of fostering
regional stability, development of the rule of law, cooperation based on free
markets supported by strong institutions, and economic interdependence.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID66f6ba61b5d64baeb1f69cb800908056"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Economic
assistance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the policy
of the United States to reduce poverty in Central Asia and the South Caucasus
through economic growth, promoting sustainable development through private
investment in all economic sectors, including agriculture, education, private
sector development, and capacity-building.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID73136aa9dbea480197402ddc48f94f93"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Development of
infrastructure</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the
policy of the United States to aid in the development of infrastructure in
Central Asia and the South Caucasus for energy and energy transit,
communications, transportation, and health and human services.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDce63be5adb9f4e5db081134101115bf2"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Defense and
border control assistance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It
is the policy of the United States to assist the countries of Central Asia and
the South Caucasus in developing indigenous defense capabilities, securing
borders, and implementing effective controls to prevent the proliferation of
materials related to weapons of mass destruction and trafficking in
conventional weapons, persons, and narcotics.</text>
</subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID25039133c8e54930885abd180a1697f5" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>102.</enum><header>Protecting United
States business abroad</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Consistent with the purposes of the Overseas
Private Investment Corporation, it is the policy of the United States to
promote and protect the interests of United States businesses and investments
in Central Asia and the South Caucasus.</text>
</section><enum>II</enum><header>Protection and promotion of United States
interests in Central Asia and the South Caucasus</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDba291488548b443fa36448bdbc775941" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>201.</enum><header>Relationships
between the United States and the countries of Central Asia and the South
Caucasus since passage of the Silk Road Strategy Act of 1999</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDdd1d2c0665624d19a1f7de9f858dcba8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Since the enactment
of the Silk Road Strategy Act of 1999 (22 U.S.C. 2296 et seq.), significant
changes have occurred to the political, economic, and security conditions in
Central Asia and the South Caucasus, requiring modifications to United States
policy toward the countries in the region in order to protect and promote
United States interests.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDfd78083b1e60466789bbe4d32b6db994"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Findings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Congress makes the following
findings:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDbd084bbb2f2a45cd8c1ff84751e8f036"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Since September 11, 2001, the need for
mutually beneficial security cooperation between the United States and the
countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus has grown, while the United
States has come to view democratization of the countries in the region as
essential to enhanced security.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID2d2a7b3955464f33aca04f6ac3caa8c0"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Such development features popular
sovereignty, institutional checks and balances, and a vibrant civil society.
These in turn require a civil administration that is competent, honest,
respectful of citizens’ rights, and sensitive to the needs of a market
economy.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDe1e11de2bb784d92abb2ea60d775305c"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The liberation of Afghanistan from Taliban
misrule and the new course in Afghanistan toward political and economic
openness make possible the country’s reintegration into Central Asia.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDc2bbd319b4484f218e5b3a0ae0c9f03f"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The ouster of the Taliban from Afghanistan
has diminished threats to that country's neighbors in Central Asia, allowing
for accelerated progress toward democracy, open economies, and the rule of law
across the region. Afghanistan’s embrace of popular sovereignty and political
pluralism demonstrates the universal applicability of these values.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID1b06686512b34643b6b39415d2b96d57"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Governments of Azerbaijan and
Kazakhstan, which have contributed to United States military deployments in
Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo, are key United States partners in
diversification of energy sources and transportation routes, enhancing and
contributing to United States energy and security interests.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idE8B18604A97045CBB7883AA99DACD8F5"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In recognition of global and regional
threats to stability, prosperity, and democracy in Afghanistan, including
terrorism, political-religious extremism, and production and trafficking of
narcotics, and in recognition of Afghanistan’s geographic location and cultural
and historical identity, Afghanistan should be considered to be among the
countries of Central Asia, and not separate from them.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDee27bd61cd6f486fb29fa8d11d567b9b"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In recognition of security cooperation from
the Government of Kazakhstan, including deployment of the Kazakhstan contingent
in Iraq, progress toward a market economy, United States business participation
in energy and infrastructure development in Kazakhstan, and an ongoing
Government of Kazakhstan policy of ethnic and religious tolerance, a
relationship with Kazakhstan is of high importance to the United States.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idE14948A6C9A9405999BFEC74FCF79FB7"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The 2003 Rose Revolution in Georgia, the
2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine, and the 2005 Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan
demonstrate the essentialness of steady progress toward democracy and the rule
of law. While these revolutions resulted in the ouster of corrupt and
ineffective regimes by largely peaceful protest movements, the long-term
interests of security, stability, good governance, and economic growth are
better served by evolutionary democratization.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID975dde21a4df49a997e50b3d6adf2d95"><enum>(9)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Relations between the United States and the
Republic of Kyrgyzstan are of great importance, in particular in view of the
democratic developments in that country and in light of the location of a
United States military base at the Manas Airport near Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID9bfc429fc14c40acaa5ed594926143ab"><enum>(10)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat
Niyazov, engages in persistent gross violations of human rights, including the
suppression of democratic and religious freedoms, brutality, and leads a
government that lacks accountability and rejects the rule of law.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID5614207a8e754b06afe3d98d768c261e"><enum>(11)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">There has been a deterioration of
democratic freedoms, rule of law, norms of democracy, and human rights in
Uzbekistan, as well as a deterioration of relations between the Governments of
the United States and Uzbekistan.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID1f4cef4c02894107b07050753fe830cd"><enum>(12)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov,
engages in continued gross violations of human rights, including the killing of
hundreds of protestors at a rally in Andijan in 2005.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID9699fefc1b974a6dbab528f2111b9b54"><enum>(13)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The pressing need for diversification of
energy resources makes access to Central Asian and Caspian Sea oil and gas
resources a high energy security priority of the United States.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID4ba7e81a202744578061f4f63b57319f"><enum>(14)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The dangerous and destabilizing policy
statements of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, and actions by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the area of nuclear
power, including uranium enrichment, threaten international security in general
and regional security in Europe and Asia in particular.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDf992fe2cc84541bb8d8af9256dec750e" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>202.</enum><header>United States
interests in the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress makes the following
findings:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDb3ef4b977d6f4f9d9feef7e60c9c8ef2"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The economic and political stability of the
countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus has a direct impact on United
States interests.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID4c2ea13bba674982aac426f7699619aa"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Stability, democratic development,
protection of property rights, including mineral rights, and rule of law in
countries with valuable energy resources and infrastructure, including
Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan, are important to safeguard United
States energy security.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDd78847a30b1545bf86c6f76aa793bafa"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Preventing any other country from
establishing a monopoly on energy resources or energy transport infrastructure
in the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus that may restrict
United States access to energy resources is important to the energy security of
the United States and other consumers of energy in the developed and developing
world.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDcd72244aa88a42deab4f51a551efcd35"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Extensive trade relations with the
energy-producing and energy-transporting states of Central Asia and the South
Caucasus will enhance United States access to diversified energy resources,
thereby strengthening United States energy security, as well as that of energy
consumers in developed and developing countries.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID603de3e057ca4bc8aff22fad732094bc"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Stability in the countries of Central Asia
and the South Caucasus is important to the security interests of the United
States.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID0120c48108504b15936b0b8e69060354"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In order for the United States to maintain
bases for its troops in the proximity of the military conflicts in Afghanistan
and Iraq, the United States should seek to maintain good relations with the
countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID9d2622c46e964e928352e57b1ee9f12d"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is in the interest of the United States
and the global war on terror for the United States to maintain friendly
relations with Muslim states in Central Asia and the South Caucasus that
promote democracy, open economies, and the rule of law in the region.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID6738a19b0a6e4ae18874713196607c31"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is in the interest of the United States
to make any and all efforts to prevent the proliferation of materials for
weapons of mass destruction and the trafficking in narcotics and persons, much
of which can be attributed to porous borders and insufficient security between
the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.</text>
</paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDbe41a629d09c4849a4f1817b68cbf9bc" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>203.</enum><header>Sense of Congress on
safeguarding of United States interests in the countries of Central Asia and
the South Caucasus</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idB64709D09FFD4808BB82CB4FC61CD68C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Promotion of
democracy, tolerance, and the development of civil society</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that political
legitimacy is founded upon popular sovereignty and is critical to stability,
that key components of political legitimacy are regular elections, and that the
United States Government should engage in the following programs and activities
designed to promote democracy, tolerance, and the development of civil society
in Central Asia and the South Caucasus:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID63ebfbe5f454424087cc3e7c7d9750d4"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for free and fair elections,
including the formation of election bodies that are broadly representative of
the political spectrum and the maintenance of equal conditions for candidates
and parties.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID62bf9327e0e64a7e8017391b4fdb7f73"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Instruct the United States delegation to
the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to other
international bodies to resist efforts by some member states to undercut the
role of OSCE election monitoring conducted by the Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and to aggressively promote the role of
independent and local election monitors.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID6704ebac12a24ed6a3fff7685e47bc55"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for the development of independent
media outlets, including print, radio, television, and Internet, and the
provision of authoritative news and a broader range of media options than is
currently available.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDa6ccb613a61645d4963c175a3e947f7e"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for satellite television
broadcasting into Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran in the native languages of
these countries through Radio Freedom/Radio Liberty, Radio Farda, Al Alam, and
independent radio and television broadcasters in the United States and Europe,
including in the languages of Azerbaijani, Pashtun, Persian, Uzbek, and
Turkmen, specifically to inform the populations in those countries of the ideas
and values of freedom, democracy, and human rights and development issues
relating to their diasporas in the United States.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID4af518a9e5f54878994fefdbee279690"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Assistance in the establishment of regional
academic programs to train civil servants in modern systems and principles of
good governance, including the rule of law, transparency, conduct of elections,
respect for citizens’ rights, and the needs of a market economy.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDbb3e7058fe4547ad9189e2ed4ea9d5cd"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for the establishment of reputable
think tanks, independent public policy research organizations, and centers for
strategic and economic studies in the countries of Central Asia and the South
Caucasus.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID61424cf4a78049ef8ebfb6e16a43d414"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for the development of separation
of powers, specifically the emergence of independent legislative and judicial
branches of government.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID418ec8b970184ab8a5f9165aca0218a7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conflict
resolution</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of
Congress that the United States Government should engage in the following
programs and activities designed to promote conflict resolution in Central Asia
and the South Caucasus:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID2fd5ee846b124a3da2f637c8005c1491"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Active assistance in the resolution of
regional conflicts and the removal of impediments to cross-border
commerce.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID54afac76f2f0496f9704e042c7ef5187"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Recognizing that China and Russia are
neighbors and regional powers of Central Asia and, in the case of Russia, of
the South Caucasus, and that those countries have in the past taken steps at
odds with United States security interests, such as in the case of curbing the
United States military presence in Uzbekistan, the continuation and expansion
of a strategic dialogue with Russia and China, including United States
participation as an observer in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for
the purpose of promoting stability and security in the region.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID2019a504ef3a4e7e8ddfbee1eb9f810e"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Acknowledgment of the importance of
maintaining peace in the Caspian region for the prosperity and long-term
stability of the countries in greater Central Asia, including calling on the
Caspian littoral nations, including Iran, to step up maritime border
delineation and demilitarization efforts, making the Caspian Sea a zone
characterized by peace and cooperation.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID403ee316813848458cb2fe876dc28d4c"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Encouragement of conflict settlement in the
South Caucasus to further increase trade, specifically by supporting the
restoration, expansion, and usage of the railroad through the Georgian region
of Abkhazia, the highway through the Georgian region of South Ossetia, and the
<quote>Road of Peace</quote> through the Azerbaijani region of
Nagorno-Karabakh.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID255470be208b411f81625c9a04601ea8"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Calling on the Governments of Azerbaijan
and Turkmenistan to resolve the outstanding debt issue, which is hindering
cross-border cooperation and development, and to jointly develop the Kyapaz
(Serdar) disputed offshore oil field, which would contribute to the peace and
stability of the Caspian region.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDf4cac13fe5c24aa6bf550284fe22391a"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Calling on the governments of the five
littoral states of the Caspian Sea, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, and
Kazakhstan, to establish a legal order demarcating the seabed and its resources
based on a national sector regime, one that goes beyond the Iranian-Soviet
treaties of 1921 and 1940, which defined rules for shipping and fishing, but
not for oil and gas exploration and development.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID83e45eb526fc4c9ea969a02d09b9e8c8"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Assistance in the removal of legal and
institutional barriers to continental and regional trade and harmonization of
border and tariff regimes, including improved mechanisms for transit through
Pakistan to Afghanistan and other countries in Central Asia, and the
recognition of Turkey as a crucial energy transit and consumer country, vital
for the successful development of large-scale energy infrastructure and
cross-border projects.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID485817c7395c485ab7c273bbbb28767e"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Economic
cooperation and international trade</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that the United
States Government should engage in the following programs and activities
designed to promote economic cooperation and international trade with countries
in Central Asia and the South Caucasus:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID4957fd307ef347d3b3b57bb3730494b3"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Assistance in accelerating the broad and
equitable privatization of state enterprises in a manner that does not promote
oligarchical rule and the deregulation of national economies in a manner that
allows equal access to nonresident companies to privatization
procedures.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID4bea2645b6e24ac9b02106e41c1b62b5"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Expansion of activity under the Trade and
Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), including reducing barriers to trade and
investment, protection of workers’ and property rights, fostering an
environment of transparency and predictability, encouraging private sector
growth and foreign and domestic investment, and removing impediments to
increased intraregional trade and investment, particularly with respect to
Afghanistan.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID6eda9cdebc0f4b89867a9131ad88c5fe"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for the completion of the review
process of the Export-Import Bank of the eligibility of countries in the region
for financing under the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 (12 U.S.C. 635 et
seq.).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDee91f659e74d4609a5a301d476fc8cea"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The facilitation of greater access for
Afghanistan and other countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia to loans
from the Export-Import Bank.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDc36a77e2fd8b45f78434b3d9358da6df"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Economic
reform</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of
Congress that the United States Government should engage in the following
programs and activities designed to promote economic reform in Central Asia and
the South Caucasus:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDb5879aa1142446dc8d5cf76a46537580"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Promotion of structural reforms in
financial and banking institutions that increase transparency and efficiency
and enhance macroeconomic stability.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDa815e07cd47e49e2a3d818c59695fd88"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Promotion of the development of the
Trans-Caspian Oil and Gas Pipelines (TCOP/TCGP), while encouraging the
Governments of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and particularly Turkmenistan to improve
their business climate and investor confidence by fully disclosing their
internationally audited hydrocarbon reserves.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID081810d2d7e141fa876fa92703ce3e40"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In light of greatly increased revenues from
energy exports and the related dangers of macroeconomic instability and
economic overheating, the establishment of a bank, the Caspian Bank of
Reconstruction and Development (CBRD), where excess revenues can be funneled to
infrastructure development projects in the region, and the tasking of the
Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation with
assisting in setting up and operating the bank.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDca528e5d9cb94d1c9afbe885f47cd1f3"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for countries in the region seeking
qualification for Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) funds, including
assistance in achieving necessary further reforms, recognizing that while
Armenia and Georgia have qualified and signed compacts with the Millennium
Challenge Corporation, other advanced economies of the region, such as
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, should be aided with more rapid
improvement of their rankings to become first <quote>threshold</quote> and then
<quote>candidate</quote> countries for purposes of such assistance.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idCD872F2A0A8848CD9D2A0CA3B630DF11"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for countries in the region seeking
accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), furnishing assistance to
facilitate economic reform for countries in the region, and extension of
unconditional and permanent nondiscriminatory treatment (permanent normal trade
relations treatment) to countries in the region, especially to Azerbaijan and
Kazakhstan.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDaa09cc7edde84715b468c80ca94fab64"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Encouraging governments of countries in
Central Asia and the South Caucasus and United States businesses operating in
the region to adhere to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
(EITI), and in recognition that Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan have
joined the EITI initiative, encouraging other countries of the region to follow
suit.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id30220E0DBAC6428B9CB2894653DDBFE6"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In conjunction with increasing transparency
of energy-related payments and revenues by the governments of, and companies
in, the Central Asia and South Caucasus region, encouraging geological data on
all energy resources and assets in the region to be made available to better
understand remaining reserves, which would stabilize the global energy
markets.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID53395cfa2cb64d98bcba8b9c65575181"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Promotion of antimonopoly initiatives,
particularly to diversify transportation routes for hydrocarbon and electric
energy, and promotion of competition in these sectors.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDbc0b4f29faba4394850a733ee24fc80e"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Infrastructure
development</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense
of Congress that the United States Government should engage in the following
programs and activities designed to promote infrastructure development in
Central Asia and the South Caucasus:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID16b4cf3b65fb4dd3972b25257472a317"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Assistance in the development of the
infrastructure necessary for communications, transportation, education, health,
and energy and trade on an east-west axis in order to build strong
international relations and commerce between the countries in the South
Caucasus and Central Asia region and the Euro-Atlantic community.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDe3c5d37d09524e39a39dc4a1a26b1adc"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for activities that promote the
participation of United States businesses and investors in the planning,
financing, and construction of infrastructure for communications,
transportation, and trade, including aviation, highways, railroads, port
facilities, shipping, banking, insurance, telecommunications networks, and gas
and oil pipelines.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID4de7bd75f19340cc96d26c0196c41758"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for the development of physical
infrastructure for continental and regional trade, including the completion of
the crucial core road system in Afghanistan, the linking of other regional
roads with the road system, and working with other donors to complete east-west
and north-south transport corridors in the region.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDd79b7e44d8914e58a820742533ad75d5"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for the addition of a crucial rail
link in Kazakhstan from Almaty to the port city of Aktau, which would allow
tankers and cargo ships to transport crude oil and other goods across the
Caspian to Baku, and from there to Europe through Georgia and Turkey; this
east-west corridor, which is already partially financially supported by the
European Union within the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA)
initiative, would greatly increase and accelerate cargo and container traffic
across the Caspian Sea and from the greater Central Asian region.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID05c642e364944ed4b3f8eabd9bb2bc2a"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Support for the construction of energy
transit infrastructure, including the Trans-Caspian Oil Pipeline (TCOP) in
Kazakhstan, from Aktau to Baku, which would carry oil from the Karachaganak
field, and the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline (TCGP), from Turkmenistan or
neighboring areas of Kazakhstan to Baku, which would carry natural gas.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID9725a4d12dfe4b0c8364cea9a7893489"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Defense and
border control assistance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It
is the sense of Congress that the United States Government should support
regionwide initiatives in Central Asia and the South Caucasus to train and
coordinate border control, law enforcement, and security forces between
contiguous countries.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID5462b2fafa024b4f8ceb88b140c40771"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Additional
mechanisms for implementation of this Act and achievement of its
objectives</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of
Congress that the United States Government should, for the purpose of further
implementing, and achieving the objectives of, this Act, promote and support
establishment of one or more of the following:</text>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDb16c7d633fa1448f843c8e2dbe3d2c57"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A Silk Road Advisory Board, which would
include experts with the necessary contacts and expertise in the region in
sectors such as sustainable agricultural development, oil and gas extraction,
energy transportation infrastructure planning and construction, democratic
development, banking, finance, and legal reform.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDbb3c1a35b0c84dee8ca01fd9c254cd96"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A specialized private sector energy
consultancy, tasked with coordinating business community projects and promoting
investment opportunities in trade as well as infrastructure for the production,
transportation, and refining of energy and petrochemicals.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDd522f2633f674c55ae14d5b577290894"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An annual conference of the sponsors and
beneficiaries of assistance provided pursuant to this Act to be held in
conjunction with the annual United Nations Economic Council of Europe (UNECE)
Energy Security Forum, which seeks to promote the security of energy supplies
for all members of the Economic Council of Europe through well-balanced
networks of energy transportation infrastructure, improvements in sustainable
energy technology and efficiency, and through the integration of legal
standards for transparent energy extraction, transportation, and
pricing.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section>