Central Asia looks towards integration with Europe

The biggest push comes from Uzbek President Mirziyoyev. Security, Afghanistan and rights at the centre of the meeting between Central Asian and EU leaders. Tashkent proposes the creation of an economic cooperation committee between the two regions.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The President of Uzbekistan Šavkat Mirziyoyev has spoken at the summit in Kazakhstan between the European Union and Central Asia, calling for a focus on greater integration between the two areas: "The regional and global situation has changed radically, today we need more active support from European partners for the integration processes in Central Asia".

He proposed considering the joint approval of a wide-ranging policy document, a 'travel charter' to accelerate the implementation of common strategies.

Mirziyoyev also insisted on coordinating the actions of the special services and security control bodies of Central Asia and Europe in order to exchange information for a joint fight against the many contemporary threats.

Speaking specifically about the situation in Afghanistan, the Uzbek President expressed his concern about the worsening humanitarian conditions in that country during the winter period, and called on the entire international community to help the Afghan people.

Another point touched on in the report concerns economic relations between Uzbekistan and the EU, proposing the formation of a 'European Union - Central Asia' economic cooperation committee at the level of the deputy prime ministers of all the governments involved.

Uzbekistan 'is planning to broaden the measures affected by the many changes', speaking firstly of 'the absolute priority of legality, the all-round support of civil society institutions, the guarantee of people's rights and gender equality, freedom of speech and the assertion of one's beliefs'.

The summit in this format was held for the first time, and was attended by the leaders of all the countries involved (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with representatives from Azerbaijan and Afghanistan also present), along with European Council President Charles Michel.

On the eve of the meeting, four international humanitarian associations had approached Michel with the request to submit 'critical issues' in the sphere of human rights to the conference, especially with the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

On 26-27 September, the joint meeting took place in Astana; on 28 October, Michel travelled to Tashkent, where he and Mirziyoyev confirmed the commitments announced at the meeting with the other leaders of the region.