Brussels, 05/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) foreign affairs committee came out in favour of setting up an EU-Central Asia parliamentary forum when, on Tuesday 4 October, it adopted the report by Nicole Niil-Nielsen (Greens/EFA, France) on the assessment of European Strategy towards Central Asia. “We propose that a regional inter-parliamentary forum be set up, which the EU, through the EP, could propose to the parliaments of the five countries (Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan). Thus, European elected representatives could share their experience with their gathered counterparts and further encourage them to forge contacts, which are currently virtually inexistent, among themselves”, Niil-Nielsen says in her report.
She bases the new EU approach in this region on two pillars: people's safety and security, and genuine regional cooperation. The report underlines that European action or initiatives must seek to promote human, rights and the rule of law, with conditionality at the heart of European policy. This policy must apply the principles of differentiation and “more for more”. The report states that regional cooperation is the only way to address the many problems of cross-border security, resource management, including that of water and energy, development and ethnic and environmental issues. It expresses the hope that the EU will be able to play the role of mediator and become more involved in the region. (CG/transl.rt)