Journalists of Central Asia study the activity of European Union structures

Brussels to host the meeting of the foreign ministers in European Union – Central Asia format on November 23. It will be key event in the series of talks, sessions and other activities dedicated to the development of new Strategy of the EU for the region uniting five countries – Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Press tour was organized for the journalists representing these countries forestalling ministerial meeting. The journalists have chance to study the structure of the European Union and activity of its main sections and institutions. Correspondents of Turkmen mass media are also included to the delegation.

“Very important week” is the characteristic given to multilateral work carried out these days in Brussels in the context of the renewal of systematic approaches to the partnership between the EU and Central Asia, expansion of the dialog, actual directions and subjects of cooperation.

The European Union is looking for long-term relations for stable social and economic development, stability and security, Special Representative of the EU, Ambassador Peter Burian highlighted at the meeting with Central Asian journalists speaking of the goals and priorities of new strategy. In other words, the priorities remain the same, however, they are focused and scaled for practical, current and general objectives for extraction of better synergies. Undoubtedly, security is among the most important one being the basis and term for further progress and as the sphere of consolidation of joint efforts for its provision.

In this aspect, Mr Burian highly appreciated the cooperation of Central Asian countries for regulation of the situation in Afghanistan. Particularly, he noted actual input of Turkmenistan to social and economic revival of its southern neighbour, its involvement to regional integrational processes.

Such directions as education, legislation, transport and energy, water resources and environment including climate change, management of borders and combating against drug trafficking and extremism remain in the focus of EU – CA cooperation. Undoubtedly, great attention is paid to trade and economic relations. Wide process of consultancies between the European Union and Central Asian countries allows highlighting other points of interests as well. It is important that many of them are considered through the prism of human potential and in the context of development of interregional relations.

Thus, according to the expert, around one million young people enter the employment market every year. It requires new projects, which implementation will create new work places, to provide their occupancy. In its turn, it will make the conditions for acquiring new skills and competency by the youth and on another hand, it will protect them from the recruiting by terroristic organizations that is modern global threat, which requires active involvement of every country.

Turkmenistan also shares the concern of the world community in this issue and is willing to share its positive experience in harmonization of training of personnel and solution of the objectives of economic and industrial policy. In addition, the universities of our country accepts Afghan students on regular and free basis on the specializations, which would be required in Afghanistan in near future including the energy, transport, pipeline systems. This initiative of Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has humanitarian aspect and is aimed at the support of social revival of neighbouring country.

There are many perspectives for intensification of interregional relations and based on the chronicles of last years, we see that these relations acquire specific projects and business owing to personal meetings of high officials and active contacts on intergovernmental levels and between business structures. What will be the role of the European Union in promotion of these projects?

According to the EU Head of Central Asia Department Boris Yaroshevich, such unique supranational institution as European Union has the same unique practice, which has been developed for decades, in formation of regional connectivity of the countries like infrastructural, logistic, management and economic, scientific and technical and other. Consolidation of potentials by exchanges and complementarities is able to bring the synergies, which Ambassador Burian was talking about, in other words the growth of entire region in general, strengthening of its importance as international player on geopolitical arena. Strong partner in such strategic location as Central Asia is very important.

In this case, the Silk Road comes to the scene in its modern role but with the same historical mission to connect the nations and countries of Eurasian continent, East with West and North with South. According to the idea of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, new Silk Road is to become an alternative to global tendencies of confrontation, an example of interesting trade, cultural and scientific cooperation as this is the only way of true stable development of humankind.

Having spoken for the support of the revival of the Silk Road, the EU Head of Central Asia Department Boris Yaroshevich shared his vision on what benefits the countries of the region would be able to receive from the exchange of goods and services by this channel via creation of added value, in other words, via the trade of high quality products of deep processing of own resource materials. In its turn, it will stimulate the growth of creative and scientific potential in producing countries, culture of business communities, which have to be oriented to the benefits of people through knowledge, skills and technologies.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov aims Turkmen entrepreneurship on the same subject entrusting it with big projects and urging the Government to support innovative production in private sector taking active measures for increment of its share in national economy. It has already started to bring the results – Turkmen business plays important role in the formation of the GDP of the country and in number of work occupancies, which it creates in labour market.

Regarding other positive examples in Central Asia, representatives of the EU highlight the promotion of water diplomacy in the region and consider that the progress in coordinated approach to solution of water problems, which was achieved in Central Asian countries, can be exemplary model of actions for other regions of the planet, which have similar problems.

The EU High Representative on Foreign Affairs Frederica Mogherini spoke on this subject after the discussion of the relations between the EU and Central Asia at the session of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs, where journalists from Central Asian countries have also been invited. In particular, she noted that all EU countries support region efforts of Central Asian states in water diplomacy as well as in improvement of the situation in Afghanistan. Central Asian countries are able to play fundamental role and support Afghanistan in cooperation with the European Union in order to assist in establishment of peace, stability and security in entire region, especially in Afghanistan, - the Head of the EU Foreign Service highlighted.

In this context, Mrs Mogherini announced coming International Conference on Afghanistan in Geneva next week on November 2, having highlighted that the EU has the same opinion on this matter as its partners from Central Asia.

It was mentioned that at present time, the EU finalizes the content of its new strategy for Central Asia and all members have shown the willingness to the intensification of cooperation with Central Asia and intent to support the development of regional cooperation.

The Head of European diplomacy highlighted the workload of the calendar of relations between the EU and Central Asia, which would allow starting intensive cooperation on new platform. She also appreciated the success of the discussion on Central Asia, which was held by the Head of the EU Foreign Ministries on Monday before the ministerial meeting on November 23. “We often concentrate on the conflicts and crises while Central Asia is more positive article of our agenda”, - high UN representative summed up.

In summary, search for the ways of improvement of cooperation between the European Union and Central Asian region and new strategy of the EU in this aspect, which would be presented in spring 2019, will be the main subjects at the ministerial meeting the EU – Central Asia in Brussels on November 23.