UE-ESIA Central Summit: Brussels look at the eastern countries for their raw materials
propagandaDiversify commercial exchanges outside Russia and China The strengthening of diplomatic relations will be the main points of the regime From the day The first central summit for Asia Which is celebrated this week, while human rights issues and sanctions on Russia are likely to be transferred to the background.
Ursula von der Lin, President of the European Commission, and Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, On Thursday, they will travel to Samarkanda (Uzbekistan) Hoping to deepen energy and raw materials with this resource -rich area. The leaders of the Central Asian bloc, which also includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tayekest and Turkmenistan, expects investment in its industries and infrastructure.
The crowded table also includes Multilateral protectionCommon and regional challenges in security, Clean energy cooperationTourism, programs between peoples, as well as Ukraine. “President Costa explained from the beginning of his mandate that he believes that he is in this multiple world, the European Union really needs to communicate with its global partners,” said a senior European Union official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “Central Asia is largely one of the elements of this approach.”
The engine of the higher meeting is the goal, which both parties share, Diversification and stay away from Russia and China. Both countries were, for historical and geographical reasons Central Asian products buyerWhile their shadows waved on the horizon about energy and technological security in Europe.
Great invasion -on a wide and unhappy scope of Ukraine by Russia, along with the Pekín transactions and now from Washington In terms of trade and foreign policyIt seems that they have been hungry in the midst of a compromise.
Energy, critical raw materials and industrial knowledge
For the European Union, “it is not a serious strict challenge, but rather (from) some alternatives in some sectors, competes in some sectors, Especially in raw materials and in contact“Tell” Euronus Stefan Maestter from the German Foreign Relations Council, “said Stefan Maestter of the German Foreign Relations Council.
from The beginning of the warThe European Union has been largely separated from Russian fossil fuels, but Russian liquefied natural gas imports to European and oil ports by pipeline to Central Europe They are still a sensitive pointBecause they contribute to financing the war mechanism in Moscow. This agency has shed light on another: regarding environmental transition, The European Union depends largely on ChinaIt controls the extraction and processing of an important part of many rare land, which is very important to develop renewable energies.
Central Asia develops renewable energy production and has an important Basic raw materials deposits. The European Union has already signed two “memoranda of understanding” with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, respectively, on this topic, and now hopes to achieve a broader intention for critical raw materials.
For the European Union, it is related Useful agreement for everyoneSince the mass will guarantee the rare land it needs to enhance energy transmission and enhance its strategic independence, while the region will get the investments it needs to develop the local industry.
“The European Union not only reinforces the extraction and export of raw materials, but in our minds, We want to strengthen the local industry in the regionAnd therefore help The development of clean technologies. “We want to invest with Central Asian countries during the value chain,” said another official of the European Union, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the Central Asian countries want More industrial associations to develop their manufacturing rules The technical knowledge that allows them to expand their exports, and thus their customer base. “They have developed industries with the aim of entering the European markets for chemicals, textiles, building materials and other non -energy products,” said Anna Matifa.
But they need power Send your products to the European Union. “Taikistan produces a lot AluminumIt is one of the greatest producers in the world. But it is almost impossible to export aluminum to the European Union due to logistical services (…) so they must sell it to China and Russia, which is easier for them, “said Mativa.
Transport transport connections
For this, and TranscaspianAnd that must be one of the issues on which leaders will focus on. The European Union announced last year that it would be allocated 10,000 million euros to “Middle Enemy”Through the Global Gateway initiative, an amount that some consider to look at the length of the path and mountainous terrain difficulties.
“The Gateway Global initiative is very slow when it comes to producing real effects of life, and this is a reason for frustration for several partner countries, including Central Asia, especially since since then since then Russia launched its attack against Ukraine“Which prompted the European Union to impose great sanctions against the country.”
European Reconstruction and Development Bank (BERD) is estimated in 2023 18.5 billion euros is needed for investment To complete the infrastructure projects needed for the path only in Central Asian countries.
propagandaIt can be one of the summit results The announcement of the celebration this year for a new investor forum Devoted to the Transcaspiano Transport Corridor, as a senior European Union official, who added that “additional financing is the key to ensuring the meeting of this point.”
But solid infrastructure They are just the tip of the icebergHe told “Euronews” Aruzhan Meirkhanova, the main researcher at the National Center for Analysis in Kazakhstan. Soft communication challenges, such as limited normative compatibility, Boundary And the need for more digitization for transport documents, and continuing to hinder traffic efficiency. “
“Political will and trust and More coordination of interested parties They will be essential to deal with soft communication challenges. “
Human rights and penaltying
Therefore, at the top, both parties should go with the feet of lead. For Central Asia, it is about It approached the West without inconvenience To Moscow or Beijing. “Central Asian countries are trying to follow a multi -boycott foreign policy, which means that they are ready to cooperate with different actors without isolating any of them. They wish to do so Take advantage of all partiesMbtiva said.
propaganda“However, they do not want to go far, especially with the West, with the European Union, because They do not want to become very supportiveFor various reasons, “he added. For Brussels, and at the same time, it comes to agreeing with certain regimes accused of authors in the vicinity of Russia, while requiring political and economic pressure on Moscow.
European Union officials insisted that a matter Decreased Russian sanctions It will be raised at the summit, because some countries in the region have benefited from the sale of articles manufactured in Europe, which is prohibited from entering the country.
For example, export German cars to Kyrguistan It increased 5,500 % in 2023, While Kazakhstan increased by 720 %, according to a report issued by Robin Brooks, the chief economist at the International Finance Institute.
“We have seen the will to cooperate,” said a senior European Union official. “We would like, of course, see more, This is the time when European Union sanctions are extremely importantBecause we want to maintain pressure on Russia. So we see this as a continuous process. “
propagandaHuman rights will go to the background
Keep your credibility In human rights It can be difficult for the European Union. In his annual human rights review in the world, Human Rights Watch said that The European Union needs to “attract attention” to the governments of Central Asia To take strict measures against opposition controls and hardening on freedom of expression in 2024, especially critics, activists and government journalists.
“These are relations that are now developed, and it is clear that with their development and growth, it can have a greater impact,” said a senior European Union official. “We will not go there to preach. Let’s make our fears knownTo work with them, for dialogue. They added that the dialogue is more, and we adhere to and interact, the more we believe that we can change and improve all the things that concern us. “
But for Maester, “the European Union does not have a lot of influence in these countries and It does not create a real influence. On this topic. “It will give more money to civil society,” the committee added, but now adopts a “more pragmatic approach.” “This is a specific tendency in the shadow of Von Der Leyen, and it is more pragmatic in human rights issues, in my opinion, and it is more directed towards attention.”
