German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier presented the case for increased ties between the European Union and Central Asian states in Astana yesterday. The cornerstone of the relationship would be energy cooperation, but it also proposes increased political ties and more development aid from the EU. Germany’s Foreign Ministry is quick to remind that human rights also gets a mention, but it appears to have only a cameo role rather than top billing.
Just how sidelined is human rights? A number of the European Parliament delegation members who were recently in Uzbekistan have wonderful things to say after their chaperoned visits to various destinations, including Andijon.
Members of the European Parliament joined Navruz celebrations in Andijan, whose licked-clean streets were decorated with plastic flowers, flags, colourful billboards, flowered beds and newly-commissioned buildings and offered music and tasteful food.
With every foreign delegation visiting Andijan the town authorities are getting more and more skilful in presenting the town in best light, so that the bloody massacre in May 2005 seems to be only the myth invented by the enemies and enviers of Uzbekistan and Andijan remains to be the town of prosperity and peace as if this has always been the case.
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Summarising the delegation’s visit to Andijan, the head of the delegation, Ona Jukneviciene, said: “The partnership agreement concluded between the European Parliament and Uzbekistan has important aspects such as the level of democracy and the protection of human rights. During the visit to Andijan we wanted to see the present situation in the town and the region, the atmosphere in society and people’s mood with our own eyes. The visit achieved its aim.”
Tolib Yoqubov says that Islam Karimov is making a fool of the EU, which I think is a tad unfair to Karimov. Some EU members seem more than happy to play the role willingly. Yoqubov is entirely correct that Karimov does not have any intention of implementing meaningful reforms and that he views closer relations with the European Union as an opportunity to enhance his power.
The Uzbek government has been trying to put on a nice show for EU diplomats, but all the while has been doing things that reveal the hollowness of its claims that it really wants to change its ways. Either it does not care too much about building a relationship with Europe or it really thinks no one is paying attention. The detention of Deutsche Welle reporter Natalya Bushuyeva (see here for more on the case) may be putting too much strain on the patience of those who wanted to give Tashkent a chance.
Laubsch claims that what information he got from the EU headquarters in Brussels and Foreign Ministry of Germany indicates that “the situation with the Die Deutsche Welle correspondent may have a counterproductive effect on the talks in Astana.” “The European countries that were fairly undemanding with regard to the Central Asian regime are running out of patience,” the German expert said. “The impression they are finally getting is that the promise of the reforms is but a trick.”
The Uzbek response to criticism over the arrest, reports EUobserver.com is quite charming.
Uzbek foreign minister Vladimir Norov said publicly the EU should not “interfere in domestic affairs…we don’t have to justify ourselves.”
The European Union absolutely should have a stronger foreign policy in Central Asia. But that does not mean that it needs to have particularly close relationships with each and every government in the region. Uzbekistan’s government has shown itself not to be trustworthy, and Germany’s insistence on making a relationship with Uzbekistan a critical component of the EU’s Central Asia policy is holding back the entire endeavor. The current Uzbek government is far too touchy to hope that any kind of long-term trust can be built between Brussels and Tashkent. Europe should refrain from spending any more time and effort reaching out to Uzbekistan’s government until such time that it does change its ways, and instead focus on the other states of the region.
This post was written by...
Nathan Hamm – author of 2039 posts on Registan.net.
Nathan founded Registan.net in 2003. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan 2000-2001 and received his MA in Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington in 2007. Since 2007, he has worked full-time as an analyst, consulting with clients on Central Asian affairs, specializing in how socio-cultural factors shape risks and opportunities. Follow him on Twitter or drop him a line.
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Norov gone nuts! Why on earth he talks about mentality, as if Uzbek people were dumb, and would not be able to live with democracy. Somehow he attempts to restate what Borat calls “a bone growing in the middle of the brain”=mentality not conforming with democracy…Uzbek government put the EU money as a priority, only reason why Norov became Foreign Minister, but a policeman will always remain a policeman…especially Uzbek one.
Damingni ol, Botir.