24 EU Special Representative for Central
Asia and wider issues
| Committee's assessment
| Politically important |
| Committee's decision | Not cleared from scrutiny; further information requested
|
| Document details | Council Decision on the Appointment of European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Central Asia
|
| Legal base | Articles 31(2) and 33 TEU; QMV
|
| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
|
| Document numbers | (36777), —
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Summary and Committee's conclusions
24.1 The EU established an EUSR for Central Asia in September
2005 to ensure coordination and consistency of external EU actions
in the region. The EUSR's mandate was amended in 2007 in response
to a new EU strategy for Central Asia. When it was last considered
by the then Committee in mid-2013, the then and current Minister
for Europe (Mr David Lidington) underlined the strategic importance
of the Central Asia region, the necessity of EU being perceived
as an effective player in the region and the importance of this
EUSR mandate in order to enable continued personal, high-level
engagement with the leaders of the five Central Asia states as
the transition process got underway in Afghanistan (see paragraphs
24.13-24.14 below for further detail).
24.2 In the words of the Minister for Europe's (Mr
David Lidington) Explanatory Memorandum of 5 June 2015, the previous
incumbent, Mrs Patricia Flor, "left post in early 2014 and
was replaced in the interim by Janos Herman, a senior EEAS official,
appointed by the former EU High Representative as EU Special Envoy
to Central Asia in April 2014 with the task of ensuring continued
EU high-level engagement in the region".
24.3 As noted elsewhere in this Report regarding
the reinstatement of the EUSR to the Middle East peace process,[ 233]
this carefully-worded formulation glosses over the much wider
issue then in play: whether, post-Lisbon, the EUSR as a "concept"
was to be continued or (as the then HR, Baroness Ashton, had proposed
in the context of a revision of the EUSR guidelines) transferred,
along with their associated resources, into the EEAS — the
consequence being that Member States would no longer be able to
approve the mandate of what are effectively the Council's special
envoys to a variety of trouble spots affecting EU and national
interests; or the job holder; or their budget (which included
salaries of c.€175,000 per annum plus allowances).
24.4 Not only were the MEPP and Central Asia EUSR
mandates set aside and effectively replaced by the HR's own Special
Envoys but so, too, was that of the EUSR to the Southern Mediterranean;
there was also, following the unexplained resignation in January
2014 of the highly-experienced incumbent, a five-month gap regarding
the EUSR to the South Caucasus and the Georgia crisis, until Herbert
Salber (Germany's Deputy Permanent Representative to NATO, with
extensive knowledge of the former-Soviet region and the conflicts
in the South Caucasus ) was appointed by the Council in June 2014.
[ 234]
24.5 In April 2015, Baroness Ashton's successor as
EU High Representative, Federica Mogherini, then nominated Peter
Burian, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European
Affairs of the Slovak Republic,[ 235]
as the next EUSR for Central Asia until 30 April 2016. The proposed
mandate is essentially as before; the proposed annual budget is
€810,000 (see paragraphs 24.17-24.20 below for details).
24.6 The then (and current) Minister for Europe has
already written to the previous Committee, on 7 April 2015, to
say that it is "important that there should be no substantial
gap in EU high level representation in the region", and express
regret that it was "necessary for the UK to agree to the
adoption of a Council Decision on the budget and mandate for this
position during the period when Parliament is dissolved".
24.7 The Minister now says that the UK's main interests
in Central Asia broadly fall under three strands: energy/commerce;
regional stability/security; and governance/human rights —
interests that are "substantial and growing, not least given
Russia's illegal actions in Ukraine and the risk of further destabilisation
in Russia's near abroad", in a region where the EU "needs
to be perceived as an effective player in region, particularly
as we engage the Central Asian states in light of Afghanistan
transition and as the region watches events in Ukraine closely".
As the UK's "national network resources are limited",
continuation of the EUSR mandate "will help leverage the
EU's vastly larger resources across the region to achieve largely
similar goals". The previous EU Special Representatives all
travelled extensively, contributed to EU discussions on policy
towards the region, including on energy security and counter-narcotics
and helped ensure the EU's position as a significant player in
Central Asia. The appointment of an EU Special Envoy for much
of 2014 "marked a distinct downturn in high level attention".
Extension of the mandate of the EUSR is "important to enable
continued personal, high-level engagement with the leaders of
the five Central Asia states", particularly as there are
not yet EU Delegations in all five countries and there are relatively
few other senior EU visitors. The Minister therefore supports
the appointment of "an experienced senior diplomat with relevant
language skills and broad experience", whom he expects will
"continue to provide a common focus for delivering EU messages
not just on key human rights issues, but also on the benefits
of regional co-operation and on potential EU assistance in helping
the region to address some of its shared socio-economic difficulties".
24.8 The proposed EUSR mandate highlights, among
other things implementation of the "EU Strategy for a New Partnership
with Central Asia". As noted elsewhere in this Report, that
Strategy, thus far, has been less than effectively executed.[ 236]
24.9 The previous
Committee accordingly looked forward to receiving this Council
Decision because of the need for such an intermediary if this
important EU Strategy was ever going to get properly off the ground;
and also because it meant that the EUSR process would be back
where it belongs, under the control of the Member States.
24.10 On 22 June, the Foreign Affairs Council
adopted substantial Conclusions that reaffirmed Central Asia as
a region of strategic importance, confirmed that the main objectives
and priority areas of the 2007 EU Strategy for Central Asia remain
pertinent, and committed the EU to establishing a strong, durable
and stable relationship with the five Central Asian countries
and to a relationship "based on the principles of responsibility
and ownership, which is aimed at fostering the stable, secure
and sustainable development of the region".
24.11 In those Conclusions, the Council welcomed
the appointment of Ambassador Peter Burian as the new EUSR for
Central Asia, whose role will be:
"to act as an important channel of dialogue
and communication at the highest level with the central Asian
countries, to promote overall Union political coordination in
Central Asia and enhance the Union's effectiveness and visibility
in the region."[ 237]
24.12 So
far, so good. However, we note that the budget has been reduced
by 20%. We agree that it is "important
we ensure EUSRs offer value for money". However, those words
referred to the previous EUSR budget, which dealt with essentially
the same mandate, and which supported an EUSR whose extensive
travelling had (as the Minister now notes) engendered and promoted
the high-level contacts, in five countries, that are central to
the job, and which the Minister now notes have fallen off and
need to be revived. Given the importance of the proposed new Strategy,
the implementation track record thus far and the clear job to
be done, it is not immediately apparent how such a budget reduction
makes sense (whereas c. €2 million has been allocated to
an EUSR to a Middle East Peace Process that exists in name only).
We should be grateful if the Minister for Europe would explain
the rationale, and why he believes the budget is sufficient to
enable Mr Burian to reinvigorate the essential high-level contacts
that have seemingly withered on the vine over the past year.
24.13 In
the meantime, we shall retain the Council Decision under scrutiny.
Full
details of the documents:
Council Decision appointing
the European Union Special Representative for Central Asia: (36777),
—.
Background
24.14 The EU established an EUSR for Central Asia
in September 2005 to ensure coordination and consistency of external
EU actions in the region.
24.15 The EUSR's mandate focused on enhancing EU
effectiveness and visibility in the region. It also aimed to contribute
to the strengthening of democracy, rule of law, good governance
and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Central
Asia. It was subsequently amended to allow the Special Representative
to contribute to wider Common Foreign and Security Policy work
on energy security, and to help develop bilateral energy cooperation
with important producer and transit partners in Central Asia;
then again, following the adoption of a new EU Strategy for Central
Asia at the June 2007 European Council, which assigned to the
EUSR an enhanced role in monitoring the implementation of the
Strategy and added a specific tasking for the EUSR to contribute
to the formulation of counter-narcotics aspects of the CFSP; then
in December 2008, which added water management aspects to his
responsibilities; and in 2012, the inclusion of border security,
environment and climate change, and — as ISAF troops began
to draw down — regional security within Central Asian borders.
24.16 Our predecessors' most recent Report on this
EUSR role, in June 2013, dealt with a straightforward 12 month
extension of the mandate then relating to Mrs Patricia Flor (previously
a senior FRG diplomat, who had been appointed a year previously).
The then (and current) Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)
reported that she had travelled extensively in the region since
taking over and performed well, been receptive to UK views, launched
a potentially valuable High Level Security Dialogue during the
Central Asia Ministerial meeting in Kyrgyzstan, attended by the
EU High Representative/Vice President, and been effective in raising
the EU's level of influence in Central Asia. Underlining again
the strategic importance of the Central Asia region, the then
Minister argued that the EU needed to be perceived as an effective
player in the region; extension of the mandate was particularly
important to enable continued personal, high-level engagement
with the leaders of the five Central Asia states as the transition
process got underway in Afghanistan, especially as there are not
yet EU Delegations in all five countries and there were relatively
few other senior EU visitors to the region. The overall budget
had nonetheless been reduced by 6.25% to €1,050,000, which
the then Minister welcomed because it was "important we ensure
EUSRs offer value for money".[ 238]
24.17 On 16 March, HR Federica Mogherini announced
that she had proposed the appointment of new Special Representatives
to support the work of the European Union on two important foreign
policy files — the Middle East Peace Process and for Central
Asia — and that the candidates had been endorsed by EU Member
States in the Political and Security Committee,[ 239]
pending a final decision by the Council. In the case of the EUSR
Central Asia, Mr Peter Burian's appointment would be for an initial
period of one year, with the task of ensuring continued EU high-level
engagement in the region.[ 240]
HRVP Federica Mogherini said:
"The appointment of Peter Burian will show the
EU's continued cooperation with Central Asia, ensuring strong
presence in our engagement on key issues of mutual interest including
the rule of law, security, energy, water, education and human
rights. Central Asia is a strategic area. The EU also intends
to continue to support the transition of neighbouring countries
such as Afghanistan, where much remains to be done in securing
the democratic path."[ 241]
The draft Council Decision
24.18 The EUSR's mandate shall be based on the Union's
policy objectives in Central Asia, which include:
(a) promoting good and close relations between
the Union and the countries of Central Asia on the basis of common
values and interests as set out in relevant agreements;
(b) contributing to strengthening the stability
and cooperation between the countries in the region;
(c) contributing to strengthening democracy,
the rule of law, good governance and respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms in Central Asia;
(d) addressing key threats, especially specific
problems with direct implications for Europe; and
(e) enhancing the Union's effectiveness and visibility
in the region, including through a closer coordination with other
relevant partners and international organisations, such as the Organisation
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations.
24.19 In order to achieve the policy objectives,
the mandate of the EUSR shall be to:
(a) promote overall Union political coordination
in Central Asia and help to ensure consistency of the external
actions of the Union in the region;
(b) monitor, on behalf of the HR, together with
the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Commission,
the implementation process of the EU Strategy for a New Partnership
with Central Asia, complemented by relevant Council Conclusions
and subsequent progress reports on the implementation of the EU
Strategy for Central Asia, make recommendations and report to
relevant Council bodies on a regular basis;
(c) assist the Council in further developing
a comprehensive policy towards Central Asia;
(d) follow closely political developments in
Central Asia by developing and maintaining close contacts with
governments, parliaments, the judiciary, civil society and mass media;
(e) encourage Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to cooperate on regional issues of
common interest;
(f) develop appropriate contacts and cooperation
with the main interested actors in the region, and all relevant
regional and international organisations;
(g) contribute to the implementation of the Union's
human rights policy in the region in cooperation with the EUSR
for Human Rights, including the Union Guidelines on human rights,
in particular the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict
as well as on violence against women and girls and combating all
forms of discrimination against them, and Union policy regarding
UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and
Security, including by monitoring and reporting on developments
as well as formulating recommendations in this regard;
(h) contribute, in close cooperation with the
UN and the OSCE, to conflict prevention and resolution by developing
contacts with the authorities and other local actors such as non-governmental
organisations, political parties, minorities, religious groups
and their leaders;
(i) provide input to the formulation of energy
security, border security, countering serious crime including
narcotics and trafficking in human beings, as well as water resource
management, environment and climate change aspects of the Common
Foreign and Security Policy with respect to Central Asia; and
(j) promote regional security within Central
Asian borders in the context of the reduction of the international
presence in Afghanistan.
24.20 The Political and Security Committee (PSC)
will be the EUSR's primary point of contact with the Council,
and will provide the EUSR with strategic guidance and political
direction "without prejudice to the powers of the HR".
The EUSR shall regularly provide the PSC and the HR with oral
and written reports, and provide regular briefings to Member States'
missions and the Union's delegations. The EUSR's activities shall
be coordinated with the relevant EEAS and Commission departments
and the EUSR for Afghanistan, and liaise with other international
and regional actors in the field.
24.21 The overall budget has been set at €810,000
— described as a reduction of more than 20% compared with
the budget of the previous EUSR, with personnel and running expenditures
decreased and travel and representation costs pared down; with
the UK said to have been "active in discussions with EU officials
on budget aspects, helping to keep a firm focus on value for money
from EUSR budgets."
The Minister's Explanatory Memorandum of 5 June
2015
24.22 Following the general election, the Minister
has now provided the following comments on Mr Burian's appointment:
"Central Asia is a region of strategic importance
to the UK and the EU. The UK's main interests in Central Asia
broadly fall under three strands: energy/commerce; regional stability/security;
and governance/human rights. The first two relate directly to
HMG's foreign policy priorities on prosperity and national security,
and the third to HMG's commitment to a foreign policy that has
the practical promotion of human rights at its core. These interests
are substantial and growing, not least given Russia's illegal
actions in Ukraine and the risk of further destabilisation in
Russia's near abroad. As UK national network resources are limited,
the continuation of the EUSR mandate will help leverage the EU's
vastly larger resources across the region to achieve largely similar
goals.
"The Government welcomed the creation of a EUSR
for Central Asia and the appointment of Jan Kubis in July 2005
(JA 2005/588 of 28 July 2005) followed by Pierre Morel from 2006-2012
(2006/670/CFSP of 5 October 2006) and Patricia Flor from 2012-2014
(2012/328/CFSP of 20 June 2012). The various EU Special Representatives
all travelled extensively, contributed to EU discussions on policy
towards the region, including on energy security and counter-narcotics
and helped ensure the EU's position as a significant player in
Central Asia. The appointment of an EU Special Envoy, Janos Herman,
for much of 2014, marked a distinct downturn in high level attention.
"The EU needs to be perceived as an effective
player in region, particularly as we engage the Central Asian
states in light of Afghanistan transition and as the region watches
events in Ukraine closely. The extension of the mandate of the
EUSR is important to enable continued personal, high-level engagement
with the leaders of the five Central Asia states. It is particularly
important as there are not yet EU Delegations in all five countries,
and there are relatively few other senior EU visitors to the region.
The Government therefore supports the extension of the mandate
of the EUSR for Central Asia.
"On the candidate, the UK did not run a candidate
for this position. We understand that there were a number of high
level candidates from several Member States and we have no objection
to Peter Burian's appointment. He is currently State Secretary
of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak
Republic, and is a former ambassador of the Slovak Republic to
NATO, to the United States and to the United Nations.
"Following the departure of the previous EUSR
Patricia Flor in early 2014, and the subsequent interim appointment
by the High Representative of an EU Special Envoy for a period
of some months, we are keen to see an able and effective successor
appointed. To this end, it is good to see the appointment of an
experienced senior diplomat with relevant language skills and
broad experience.
"We expect that the EU Special Representative
will continue to provide a common focus for delivering EU messages
not just on key human rights issues, but also on the benefits
of regional co-operation and on potential EU assistance in helping
the region to address some of its shared socio-economic difficulties."
Previous Committee Reports
None, but see (35045), —: Sixth Report HC 83-vi
(2013-14), chapter 20 (19 June 2013). Also see (36624),
5241/15: Thirty-fourth Report HC 219-xxxiii (2014-15), chapter
6 (25 February 2015) and Thirty-ninth Report HC 219-xxxvii
(2014-15), chapter 12 (24 March 2015).
233 (36769), -: Council Decision appointing the European
Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process
at chapter 23 of this Report. Back
234 These wider issues are discussed in the same separate chapter
of this Report: see (36769), -: Council Decision appointing the
European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace
Process at chapter 23. That chapter of this Report should accordingly
be read in conjunction with this chapter. Back
235 Also a former ambassador of the Slovak Republic to NATO, to the
United States and to the United Nations. Back
236 See (36624), 5241/15, Implementation of the EU Central Asia
Strategy, at chapter 53 of this Report. Back
237 See Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions on Central Asia for the
full text. Back
238 See (35045), -: Sixth Report HC 83-vi (2013-14), chapter 20 (19
June 2013). Back
239 Political and Security Committee: the committee of ambassador-level
officials from national delegations who, by virtue of article
38 TEU, under the authority of the High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy (HR) and the Council, monitor the
international situation in areas covered by the CFSP and exercise
political control and strategic direction of crisis management
operations, as set out in article 43 TEU. The chair is nominated
by the HR. Back
240 Mr Burian was at that point State Secretary of the Ministry of
Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, and a former
ambassador of the Slovak Republic to NATO, to the United States
and to the United Nations. Back
241 Press Release. Back
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