Brussels, 15/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament hopes to set in place an EU-Central Asia parliamentary forum (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan). In the report by Nicole Kiil-Nielsen (Greens/EFA, France) on the state of implementation of European strategy in Central Asia, adopted on Thursday 15 December, the Commission is called upon to give “consideration (…) to the possible future establishment of an EU-Central Asia ad hoc parliamentary forum in the framework of the existing parliamentary cooperation committees and interparliamentary meetings with the Central Asian countries as a means of assessing and contributing to the contents of the summit talks”. The Parliament also underlines the importance of regular bilateral and multilateral parliamentary cooperation.
The Parliament trusts that the Union will adjust its strategies to the progress made by the states of Central Asia, by personalising and conditioning the level and nature of its commitment, especially taking human rights and democracy into account. MEPs point out the permanent need for regular dialogue on human rights and underline their concern regarding forced child labour.
MEPs specify that it is of major economic and political interest for the Union to consolidate its bilateral and multilateral relations with these countries in all cooperation areas. They highlight the stability, security and sustainable development of the region, trade and economic relations, energy and transport networks, and the management of borders and measures to counter drug trafficking.
The Parliament regrets that few resources have been allocated to European strategy in Central Asia and that support funding devoted to this is too lean for the EU to truly have an influence in all policy areas. Due to financial constraints, the Parliament recommends that emphasis be placed on medium and long-term programmes that are likely to have the greatest impact on development in that region. (CG/transl.jl)