Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov 28 /Trend/
Trend commentator Viktoriya Zhavoronkova
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton is on a visit to Central Asia.
Ashton did not just visited the region and met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Central Asia during the visit, as we saw in Bishkek, she decided to further discuss cooperation with the governments of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.
What caused such attention of the European Union to the region and what goals the European Commission pursued here today?
Central Asia unwittingly became the focus of attention of such leading global players as the U.S., China and Russia. Recently, it was possible to observe their active competition for the presence in the region in which each used its leverage. EU is showing its unwillingness to stay away from this "game" to "conquest" Central Asia.
Russia, the U.S., and China not only have a long history of cooperation with Central Asian countries, but also points of contact with each of the states in the region, due to which they have the opportunity to closely cooperate with each of them.
What new the EU can offer to Central Asia? The region now has a number of pressing issues, such as the failure to resolve the water problem, the lack of funds, political tensions in some countries, and the possibility of an escalation of the situation in Afghanistan after 2014.
Relations between Europe and Central Asia have always been close except for some moments of tension with some regional players. For example, cooperation between the EU and Uzbekistan deteriorated after notorious events in Andijan. However, despite this, the EU has never proved to be a partner, which solves a serious problem at least in one of the countries of Central Asia.
Today, the situation has not changed, and, despite the possible desire of the EU to increase its influence in Central Asia, any decisive action on the part of the EU in this direction shouldn't be expected.
Evaluating the results of the negotiations, which Ashton has already hold in the region, it can be concluded that, as before, the future of cooperation in Central Asia - European Union format will come to humanitarian and social fields, as well as the allocation of funds in the average size for projects preferably in the same areas.
EU could make good use of the region by investing there and implementing major investment projects, as Central Asia today - is a kind of "fertile ground" for investment and business creation.
However, given the difficult economic situation in Europe it is hardly worth to count on any major economic initiatives that actually will be able to expand the cooperation of EU with the Central Asia or strengthen its influence in the region.
The most likely prospect today - is the possibility of transportation of Central Asian, namely Turkmen gas to Europe, after the implementation of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline and the commissioning of the Southern Gas Corridor.