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MEP pays tribute to 'great progress' by Uzbekistan

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Latvian Socialist MEP Andris Ameriks (pictured) has paid glowing tribute to Uzbekistan’s “great progress in different areas”. His comments come amid the ongoing talks over the Enhanced Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (EPCA), which will replace the partnership and co-operation agreement that has been in force since 1999, writes Martin Banks.

Uzbekistan and the European Union are currently negotiating the EPCA and hope to sign a deal by the end of the year. The talks started in November 2018 and, if successful, will pave the way for a new era in relations between the two sides. When asked about current EU-Uzbekistan relations, Ameriks, a member of the parliament's delegation to Uzbekistan, said: "Asia has a centuries-old tradition of bringing Europe and Asia together.

"The EU-Central Asia relations have developed significantly over recent years and the EU’s engagement with Central Asia has significantly expanded since the early 1990s. In 2007 the EU adopted its first Strategy on Central Asia. This established a regular political dialogue and enhanced cooperation.”

Speaking exclusively to this website, he added: “Uzbekistan, with its great population and territory, and borders with all other Central Asian countries and Afghanistan, is no doubt one of the EU’s main partners in the region.”

Since 1991, when Uzbekistan gained its independence, the EU has stable development in relationships with Uzbekistan, which is based on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), signed in 1996, he notes. “This agreement moved both parties to a closer cooperation in political, trade and economic co-operation.”

Besides PCA, there are, he says, various other agreements with Uzbekistan, like Memorandum of understanding and co-operation in the field of energy, “that help to make our cooperation more effective and fruitful.”

He went on: “In 2018 the Council adopted a mandate for negotiations with Uzbekistan on a new agreement, which will bring the cooperation to a next level - Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). “We can note a great progress in negotiations between the EU and Uzbekistan, which is a strong signal from both sides on a common view of our further and closer co-operation.”

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He says the EPCA was planned to be signed by now.  While he current situation due to the COVID-19 might change the planned timetable  it will not change “the common interest in this agreement”. He said: “The EPCA will cover more areas of cooperation, particularly political dialogue and reforms, rule of law, justice, freedom and security, human rights, migration, trade, economic and sustainable development.

“Cooperation between the European Union and Uzbekistan is important for both sides. For Uzbekistan, it is a possibility to have political and financial support in reforms and development of the country, for the EU it is a possibility to share and spread its values outside the EU. Ameriks is an economist who has been serving as an MEP since the 2019 elections. He is a former deputy mayor of Riga.

“During the recent years, under a new leadership, Uzbekistan has made a great progress in different areas, as reforms, to improve human rights, to develop regional cooperation with its Central Asian neighbours and international partners, and to promote security and stability in the region. Of course, we always can do more, but I would like to highlight Uzbekistan’s significant will and actions in making their country better and more attractive in all senses.”

When asked  whether Uzbekistan sees its future with Russia or with the West, the MEP declares, “we cannot forget history of Uzbekistan and its geographical location. I believe that wise leadership and people of Uzbekistan will find a balance in co-operation between Russia and West in a manner that will not harm nor one, nor another side.”

Also speaking exclusively to this website, another senior MEP, French MEP Thierry Mariani, also a member of the parliament’s Uzbekistan delegation,  said he is optimistic the agreement will be signed by the end of this year, despite the health crisis. The ID deputy said: “It is looking good which is also good news for both sides, particularly Uzbekistan which stands to benefit from having access to more markets if the agreement is signed.”

Mariani, a former veteran French MP and also a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, added: “The fact that progress has been made on the agreement shows the relative confidence the EU has in the country and the current regime. It is a few years no since the new president took office and the progress in that time has been excellent. “I know the country very well and have visited it at least ten times, including my time as a government minister in France.”

The MEP, a minister of transport in France for two years until 2012, said, “Everything has changed in the country since the current president took office. It is does not mean that everything is perfect – where is it? – but I think the country has really turned a page from its previous Soviet past. The economy is more open now than it was in the past and there has also been good progress in political life which is no longer dominated by just the one party.

“We should remember this  and the continuing modernization programme in the country. The EPCA is very important for both sides but especially for Uzbekistan. I would say that, due to the progress that has been achieved in the last few years, Uzbekistan is now the most important country in central Asia,” added Mariani, who was a French MP from 1993 to 2017. EU relations with Uzbekistan are already embedded in the regularly reviewed EU and Central Asia Strategy for a New Partnership, which outlines the overall cooperation objectives, policy responses and priority fields for the EU's engagement in Central Asia. Relations between the two sides have been developing steadily since its independence in 1991.

President Mirziyoyev came to power in September 2016 and he has triggered numerous ambitious reforms. An expert assessment also comes from Niccolo Rinaldi, head of unit for Asia,  Australia and New Zealand in the European parliament who told this website that the EPCA will “upgrade” relations between the two sides, adding that this stands to benefit both sides. Rinaldi, based in the DG for external policies, said this will be important for the EU because Uzbekistan “has come under pressure” from the likes of Russia, China and Turkey.

He said: ”The EU wants to have a presence in central Asia – this is important – and, step by step, the Union has been doing this.” He paid tribute to the Uzbek president for helping to “stabilize” and promote relations between central Asian nations, adding that the EU also hopes to replicate an EPCA with Uzbekistan’s near neighbours."

Rinaldi believes Uzbekistan is “less under the influence of Russia” than some of its neighbours partly because it has only a small Russian community. He also notes that it exports cotton to the West and not to Russia. When asked what more needs to be done by Uzbekistan in terms of reforms, Greens MEP Niklas Nienass said: "Uzbekistan is reforming its economy with great vigour, and it should strengthen democracy and human rights with the same energy."

The German member added: "Restrictive media laws have to be changed to create the backbone of a society in which freedom of speech is not only a slogan. And as for the economic reforms, it must be ensured that the improvements really benefit the people and not just the wealthy few. This certainly is a difficult task for the country, but it is inevitable to improve the lives of the Uzbek people."

In another exclusive interview with this website, Peter Stano, EU spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, was asked to spell out the importance of the EPCA to Uzbekistan (and the EU). Stano said: “Concluding and implementing the EPCA is a priority for the EU. We believe it will significantly upgrade bilateral relations, extending cooperation into new areas. Both sides have been working hard to conclude negotiations, including over the past few months despite the disruption resulting from the pandemic.”

He added: “This shows the importance that both sides attach to the EPCA. The EPCA will increase the attractiveness of Uzbekistan to foreign investment, which is an important element of the country’s development strategy and its post-COVID recovery.”

Uzbek-European relations began on April 15, 1992 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Uzbekistan and the Commission. Diplomatic relations were established on November 16, 1994. Last November, Uzbekistan celebrated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. In January 1995, the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan was opened in Brussels, which also performs the functions of the Mission to the European Union. The EU delegation has been operating in Tashkent since June 2011. The EU, today, is one of Uzbekistan’s main international partners.

An embassy spokesman said: “Uzbekistan is interested in the consistent development of mutually beneficial and constructive co-operation with it. We highly value the EU's role in promoting the universal values of democracy, rule of law, protection of human rights, maintenance of peace, stability and sustainable development.”

He added: “The EU is one of the most important trade partners of Uzbekistan. It should be noted that the Uzbek side has introduced the most favored nation regime for the EU countries. The reforms carried out in our country to liberalize the economy open up opportunities for a wider presence of European business and investments in Uzbekistan.”

In 2019, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and the EU countries amounted to $4 billion, including exports - $574.5 million, imports - $3.42bn. During the first quarter of 2020, the volume of mutual trade amounted to $782.2m, including exports - $ 116.8m, imports - $665.4m. There are 1,052 enterprises operating in Uzbekistan with the participation of investments from the EU countries, including 304 companies with 100% European capital.

Turning to the future, Peter Stano also told EU Reporter what more needs to be done by Uzbekistan in terms of reforms. He said: “Uzbekistan’s reform programme is ambitious but a work in progress. We discuss this regularly with Uzbekistan, for example at this month’s annual Human Rights Dialogue and Sub-Committee on Justice, Freedom, and Security. The EU places particular emphasis on the implementation of reforms, and offers support to Uzbekistan in this respect.”

Stano concluded: “We recognize significant progress in addressing forced labour and individual human rights cases, and in liberalizing sectors of the economy, but there is a lot more still to be done, for example in ensuring freedom of expression, in the fight against corruption, and in the area of criminal justice reform which would improve the business climate and thereby enhance economic and social development.”

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