Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-05-11-Speech-3-027"
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"en.20050511.4.3-027"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I am particularly pleased to have been given the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Council about these important matters with regard to the vital region of Central Asia. That region is important for the European Union from several points of view: geopolitically, geostrategically and also economically.
In Uzbekistan, the legal opposition was unable to participate in the parliamentary elections on 26 December 2004. The programme of reform in the country has not moved forward and poverty has increased further. There is a real risk in that country that Islamic fundamentalism will spread further and further within the population.
In Turkmenistan, the lack of freedom of expression and of democratic debate, the impossibility of maintaining an effective opposition to the government and the non-existence of any programme of structural reform are major causes for concern.
Finally, the situation in Tajikistan is characterised by two main problems: endemic squabbles between provinces and a prolonged economic crisis.
In spite of the problems and difficulties in the region, as I have just detailed, the European Union believes that relations with the region are of vital importance and is prepared to support the transition of these countries to effective market economies and also to functioning democracies.
The Deputy Director-General for external relations of the European Commission recently visited four republics in Central Asia. On 12 May, the EU-Turkmenistan Joint Committee will meet in Ashgabat. In connection with the joint committee, an
meeting will be held with the aim of advancing the dialogue on the issue of human rights. A European Union troika will meet the representatives of five countries in the region in Tashkent at the end of the month. In Brussels, the EU-Kyrgyzstan Cooperation Council will take place in June and the EU-Kazakhstan and EU-Kyrgyzstan Cooperation Councils will take place in July.
Despite a certain degree of improvement recently, the situation in Kyrgyzstan remains critical. The new political dynamic is structured according to personal and regional allegiances and the political parties have a purely nominal role. The presidential election is scheduled for 10 July, and the second round could take place on 24 July. The risks connected with security and the uncertain economic situation could complicate the presidential campaign. Indeed, the presidential election campaign is increasingly turning into a competition between the two main candidates on the political scene in the country, namely Mr Kulov and Mr Akaev.
Because of this, the stability of the country depends to a considerable extent on a possible rapprochement between these two political leaders. A compromise between them could include a commitment to respect the election result, which should be the usual case in a democracy, on the condition that the losing candidate can take the position of Prime Minister. However, at the moment, informal contacts between the two camps have not yet produced tangible results. On this matter, the main message from the international community, including the OSCE and the European Union, during this presidential campaign should stress the importance of holding free and fair elections.
Nevertheless, the holding of democratic elections will not automatically guarantee that the democratisation process is completely successful. Many political issues will remain on the agenda, in particular constitutional reform, the expected parliamentary elections, the independence of the media and the development of a political system based on the natural development of political parties.
The issue of constitutional reform has already been mentioned in the electoral debate. The parliament has set up a constitutional council, which is to set out the principles for constitutional reform to be implemented following the election results. Nevertheless, various political players are taking completely opposing positions in this regard. The economic climate is not improving significantly and public order is still precarious. The seizure of land around Bishkek increases the risk of disorder. Ethnic issues are at the heart of political debate. In general, the situation for ethnic minorities remains a cause for concern.
All the most important international players, including Russia, favour the maintenance of internal security and stability in Kyrgyzstan. The new leaders of the country have successfully maintained good relations with all their neighbouring countries, particularly with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The OSCE’s work for Kyrgyzstan will soon be finalised and the Kyrgyz Government will need to approve it in the coming days. The European Commission recently announced its intention to allocate EUR 25 million to Kyrgyzstan in 2005.
As you know, the general situation in Central Asia remains a matter of concern. A number of factors are creating an atmosphere of uncertainty around the countries in that region. First of all, the most serious threats to regional stability in Central Asia are a lack of economic reform, the continuance of authoritarian regimes and the widespread phenomena of corruption, organised crime and drug trafficking. We spoke yesterday about the problem of drugs in Afghanistan. Well, these countries are on the drug-trafficking route.
The political rights of the people are being eroded in the majority of these countries. Regional cooperation has not reached an adequate level due to the lack of trust and of political will among the states in the region. Poverty and lack of growth in the countries of Central Asia have exacerbated socio-economic tensions. The geopolitical proximity of Afghanistan and certain domestic factors have allowed Islamic extremism to spread and, as I have just stated, have increased drug trafficking. Potential conflicts on the doorstep of the States in the region and between them could be stirred up by the mixing of ethnic minorities on the territory of these countries.
Various specific issues need to be raised with regard to the situation in certain countries in the region. I will summarise them briefly. In Kazakhstan, the parliamentary elections which took place in September 2004 did not meet normally accepted international criteria. The opposition, in spite of growing support among the people, gained only one seat. The current President is inclined to call a presidential election before the end of his presidential term in January 2006. The government’s interference in the legislative process, the opposition, the media, civil society and the financial systems is worrying. The human rights situation is getting worse."@en1
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