154
2014. In this context, Joseph Nye, referring to the problems of other countries, such
as Argentina, China, or European countries, says: “America is not involved with
extractive constraints like these. The US economy can benefit from these changes in
energy supplies in thousands of ways. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have already
been created, some of them in less developed areas. This is in addition to economic
activity that can boost GDP growth and increase the number of new financial revenues. Moreover, less energy imports can reduce the “trade deficit” and improve the
balance of payments. Many US industries, such as petrochemicals, will benefit from
widespread results in reducing production costs” (Nye Joseph 2012a, b:12).
Obama, Southern Gas Corridor, and Azerbaijan
The US has paid close attention to various manifestations of the Southern Gas
Corridor idea, lending support to Azerbaijan as the primary supplier for the project.
Thus, in 2014, Patrick Ventrell, former Acting Deputy Spokesperson of the State
Department lauded the Shah Deniz Consortium’s selection of the TAP project to
fulfill this dream, emphasizing at every available opportunity that the pipeline would
be the ideal means of delivering Caspian gas to European consumers (www.trend.
az 2015).
The Southern Gas Corridor aims to increase EU energy security by linking the
South Caucasus pipeline through Azerbaijan and Georgia with the TANAP across
Turkey. The US has always supported energy security in the EU and has campaigned
for stronger diversification of the block under various administrations. While stating
the global importance attached to making Caspian gas available to the wider market,
Obama spokesman Patrick Ventrell emphasized the project’s geopolitical importance in increasing European diversification efforts (www.trend.az 2015):
Reflects Europe’s efforts to diversify its energy resources, including the bold steps toward
competition and trade embodied in the EU’s Third Energy Package, an important set of
regulatory measures issued in 2009. The selection of TAP as the means to link Caspian gas
to Europe is another important step in the process of advancing Europe’s energy security
and promoting competition in the supply of energy resources. (www.trend.az 2015)
In a personal message to attendees at the “23rd International Caspian Oil & Gas
Exhibition and the 6th Caspian International Power and Alternative Energy
Exhibition in Baku in June 2016,” Obama extolled the critical role of Azerbaijan in
the global supply of energy (www.trend.az 2015). He went on to discuss the merits
of diversification, with explicit reference to the Southern Gas Corridor:
Over the past year, Azerbaijan and its partners have achieved a significant milestone in making the Southern Gas Corridor a reality… The continued cooperation between Azerbaijan
and its international partners will ensure the competition of this significant project… And
the US stands ready to assist and continue to underscoring importance of the Southern Gas
Corridor with our international partners. (www.trend.az 2015)
5 US Energy Diplomacy Under the Obama Administration
2014. In this context, Joseph Nye, referring to the problems of other countries, such
as Argentina, China, or European countries, says: “America is not involved with
extractive constraints like these. The US economy can benefit from these changes in
energy supplies in thousands of ways. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have already
been created, some of them in less developed areas. This is in addition to economic
activity that can boost GDP growth and increase the number of new financial revenues. Moreover, less energy imports can reduce the “trade deficit” and improve the
balance of payments. Many US industries, such as petrochemicals, will benefit from
widespread results in reducing production costs” (Nye Joseph 2012a, b:12).
Obama, Southern Gas Corridor, and Azerbaijan
The US has paid close attention to various manifestations of the Southern Gas
Corridor idea, lending support to Azerbaijan as the primary supplier for the project.
Thus, in 2014, Patrick Ventrell, former Acting Deputy Spokesperson of the State
Department lauded the Shah Deniz Consortium’s selection of the TAP project to
fulfill this dream, emphasizing at every available opportunity that the pipeline would
be the ideal means of delivering Caspian gas to European consumers (www.trend.
az 2015).
The Southern Gas Corridor aims to increase EU energy security by linking the
South Caucasus pipeline through Azerbaijan and Georgia with the TANAP across
Turkey. The US has always supported energy security in the EU and has campaigned
for stronger diversification of the block under various administrations. While stating
the global importance attached to making Caspian gas available to the wider market,
Obama spokesman Patrick Ventrell emphasized the project’s geopolitical importance in increasing European diversification efforts (www.trend.az 2015):
Reflects Europe’s efforts to diversify its energy resources, including the bold steps toward
competition and trade embodied in the EU’s Third Energy Package, an important set of
regulatory measures issued in 2009. The selection of TAP as the means to link Caspian gas
to Europe is another important step in the process of advancing Europe’s energy security
and promoting competition in the supply of energy resources. (www.trend.az 2015)
In a personal message to attendees at the “23rd International Caspian Oil & Gas
Exhibition and the 6th Caspian International Power and Alternative Energy
Exhibition in Baku in June 2016,” Obama extolled the critical role of Azerbaijan in
the global supply of energy (www.trend.az 2015). He went on to discuss the merits
of diversification, with explicit reference to the Southern Gas Corridor:
Over the past year, Azerbaijan and its partners have achieved a significant milestone in making the Southern Gas Corridor a reality… The continued cooperation between Azerbaijan
and its international partners will ensure the competition of this significant project… And
the US stands ready to assist and continue to underscoring importance of the Southern Gas
Corridor with our international partners. (www.trend.az 2015)
5 US Energy Diplomacy Under the Obama Administration