Central Asia and the EU Expanding Dialogue and Cooperation

Veteran German diplomat Patricia Flor has devoted her life to building ties between the European Union and Central Asia. Her recent appointment as the European Union’s Special Representative for Central Asia, which became effective in July, opens a new era of bridge-building and communication between these two regions.

Flor’s appointment comes on the heels of a just concluded European Union and Central Asian five-year strategy from 2007 to 2012 to build stronger diplomatic, security and economic ties. She told a press conference in Brussels in July that her mission is not to question those ties, but to strengthen them and extend the partnership between the EU and the former Soviet republics east of the Caspian Sea. “My task is to build on this basis and further develop our relations in all fields – be they the rule of law, water and environment, economic and security issues,” said the former German special envoy for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia. “My mission is to deepen the European Union-Central Asia relationship.”

Flor said she also wants a higher level security dialog between the European Union and Central Asian states. This will include bilateral discussions to focus on Afghanistan’s future after NATO forces fully withdraw in 2014. This message is likely to be appreciated in Astana as President Nursultan Nazarbayev has repeatedly voiced concern that post-conflict issues in Afghanistan must not be neglected to ensure a peaceful resolution of remaining issues there. That’s a perspective shared by many EU states.

Helping to resolve outstanding conflicts between Central Asian nations and encouraging them to develop a coordinated regional perspective are also high on Flor’s agenda. “All of the region comes into focus and if we want to have positive development in the region, and security and stability, both the Central Asian states and Afghanistan need to work in a regional approach in order to reach a positive outcome,” said Flor.

That regional cooperation message will be welcomed in Astana where the government has achieved increasingly close ties with its neighbors, in particular, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. Flor also touched on the EU’s desire to continue to be an energy partner to the region, which matches well Kazakhstan’s commitment to developing renewable energy alongside its oil, natural gas and uranium reserves. The EU “comes in and can be good and reliable partners” on energy efficiency and renewable energy, she said.

The nations of the European Union also recognize the need to patiently develop the institutions of democracy and the rule of law across Central Asia. And Flor emphasized their continuing commitment to helping Kazakhstan and its neighbors further along this path. “Certainly, we can share the experience of the European Union in terms of the rule of law, in terms of regional cooperation and building an open society,” she said.

All of these goals are expected to be addressed at an EU-Central Asia ministers meeting in the fall, she said.

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 977