Divert business transactions outside Russia and China Increasing diplomatic relationships will be the main points of the order Day First Central UE-Asian Summit It is celebrated this week, while human rights issues and the violation of sanctions on Russia will probably be pushed in the background.
European Commission Chairman Ursula Van Ter Lain and European Council President Antonio Costa, They will travel to Samarkanda (Uzbekistan) this Thursday I hope that important contacts with this resources region will deepen energy and raw materials. Leaders of the Central Asian constituency, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Dayikistan and Turkmenistan, expect to ensure investments in their businesses and infrastructure.
Includes busy table Diversity protectionJoint and Regional Challenges in Protection, CooperationTourist, projects between people and Ukraine. “In the Multipolar world, from the beginning of his decree, he believes that the European Union is actually believed to be joined with its global partners,” said a senior EU official who spoke. “Central Asia is often one of the elements of this approach.”
The Machine of the High -Level Meeting Machine Multiply and go away from Russia and China. Both countries are great for historical and geographical reasons Buyers of Central Asia ProductsTheir shadows are firmly about Europe’s energy and technical protection.
With Beck’s transaction approach, now from Washington to Russia on a large scale and unpopular invasion on Ukraine by Russia In terms of trade and foreign policyThey seem to have silent the hesitant to compromise each other.
Energy, critical raw materials and industrial knowledge
As for the European Union, “This is not to challenge China and Russia, but rather (providing some alternatives in some sectors; competing in some sectors; Especially in the raw materials and connectivity“He told the German Foreign Relations Council’s ‘EuroNius’ Stephen Meester.
From The beginning of the warThe EU is significantly divided from Russian fossil fuels, but the Russian LNG imports through pipeline to Central Europe to Europe and oil ports They are still a subtle pointBecause they contribute to funding for Moscow’s militant machinery. This company has contributed to highlighting the other: this is the case with the environmental change, European Union often depends on ChinaIt controls the extraction and processing of a major part of many rare earth, which is important for the development of renewable energies.
Central Asia is producing its renewable energy and is important Basal deposits. The European Union has signed two ‘Memoranda de understanding’ with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan respectively, respectively, and now hopes to achieve a wide declaration of objectives on important raw materials.
As far as the EU is concerned A beneficial contract for all.
“European Union promotes the extraction and export of raw materials, but, in our minds, We would like to encourage local industry in the regionThus helps Clean technologies improve. We want to invest with the countries of Central Asia throughout the value chain, ”said another senior EU official, who spoke in an unnamed position.
Meanwhile, the countries of Central Asia also prefer More industrial associations to create their production sites And technical knowledge allows them to expand their exports, therefore, their customer site. A researcher at King’s College in London told Anna Medwewa that “European market chemicals, textiles, construction and other non -enemy products have been created with the aim of entering.
But for this they need power Send your products to the European Union. “Dayikistan produces a lot AluminumThis is one of the largest producers in the world. But it is almost impossible to export aluminum to the EU because of logistics (…), so they have to sell it to China and Russia, which is very easy for them, ”said Madhviva.
Enable Transport Connections
For this, the Transcaspian traffic corridorThis should be one of the issues that leaders focus on. The European Union announced it would be assigned last year 10,000 million euros called ‘middle runner’.
“The Gateway Global initiative is very slow while creating real -life effects, and this is a reason for many partner countries, including Central Asia Russia carried out its attack against UkraineThis has led the EU to impose broad sanctions against the country, ”said the European Foreign Board of Foreign Affairs (ECFR), the director of a broad Europe project, ‘EuroNius’ Mary Duma Ou Lynn.
European Reconstruction and Development Bank (Bert) estimated in 2023 18.5 billion Euro is required Complete the infrastructure projects required for the path only in Central Asia countries.
AdvertisementMay be one of the results of the summit The announcement of this year’s celebration of the new investor forum The transcuspiano, confirmed by one of the senior EU officials, has been dedicated to the traffic sidewalk, “Additional funds are important to ensure that we meet this point.”
But the hardest infrastructure They are only the tip of the iceberg. “Soft connection challenges such as limited protocol synchronization, Lack of limitations The need for high digitalization of traffic documents, prevents traffic efficiency. “
“Political preference, hope and High coordination of interested parties They will be the basis for the soft connection challenges, ”he added.
Headaches of human rights and sanctions
Therefore, both parties should walk with leading legs at the summit. As for Central Asia, that’s about it Get closer to the west without annoying To Moscow or Beijing. “Central Asia’s countries are trying to follow a multi -foreign policy, which means they are willing to cooperate with different actors without alienating anyone. They want Benefit from all parties“Medveva said.
Advertisement“That is, they don’t want to go too far, especially with the West, with the European Union They don’t want to become the most dependent westFor different reasons, “As for Brussels, is about reaching contracts with some regimes officially near Russia, while Moscow must ask for political and economic pressure.
High EU officials insisted that the question was The beast of Russian economic obstacles This will be raised on the summit because some countries in the region have benefited from the sale of articles made in Europe, which is prohibited from entering the country.
German car export and cars to Krikistan, for example, Increased by 5,500% in 2023, According to a report by Robin Brooks, the chief economist of the International Finance Institute, that Kazakhstan rose 720%.
“We have seen the co -operating,” a senior EU official said. “Of course, we would like to see more, This is a time The EU’s economic obstacles are very importantBecause we want to maintain pressure on Russia. So we see this as a continuous process. “
AdvertisementHuman Rights Going to the background
Maintain your credibility In human rights This will be difficult for the EU. In his annual review of human rights in the world, he said that human rights monitor Central Asia’s governments need the European Union to “draw attention” In 2024, the prison was imprisoned by government critics, enthusiasts and journalists for taking drastic measures against disagreement and hardening restrictions on freedom of expression.
“These are the relationships that are being created now, and openly, when they develop and develop, they will have a greater impact,” a senior EU official said. “We didn’t go there to preach. We will let our concerns be revealedTo work with them, for conversation. We hope that we can talk about how much we are talking about, we are involved, and we can change everything that cares about us, ”they added.
But in terms of Meester, “In these countries the EU has no influence It did not create a real influence “ In the case. The Commission further said that it is probably “paid more money for civil society”, but now accepts the “more practical approach.” “This is a particular course under Van der Leion. It is very practical on human rights issues. It is in my opinion, and more interested.”
