Supplementary Memorandum by Jim Murphy
MP, Minister for Europe
QUESTION
The EU's Strategy on Central Asia (under section
V) contains a commitment to "develop a Rule of Law initiative
which addresses the specific priorities identified by each country".
What are the main contours of this Rule of Law initiative, and
what instruments, including financial, will be made available
to implement it?
ANSWER
The objective of the Rule of Law Initiative
in the EU Central Asia Strategy will be to work with the countries
of Central Asia to promote legal and administrative reform to
strengthen respect for the law by all levels of society thereby
safeguarding both economic interests and human rights and fundamental
freedoms. The Strategy aims to achieve this by providing training
for countries in the region and the exchange of international
expertise. This includes facilitating contacts with the Council
of Europe's legal experts on the Venice Commission and seconding
international experts.
We look forward to working with the Presidency,
the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, the Commission
and other Partners to develop the initiative, which we will want
to focus on promoting the principles of good governance, economic
reform including transparency of government, the independence
of the judiciary, the safeguarding of human rights and fundamental
freedoms and the security of contracts and investments.
Details have yet to be discussed, but possible
instruments include existing EU Partnership and Co-operation Agreements
with the Central Asia states, Human Rights Dialogues, the Commission's
Assistance Programme and Member States' individual assistance
programmes. The EU will also co-ordinate with other international
donors, in particular the International Financial Institutions,
the UN Development Programme and other relevant UN agencies, the
OSCE and the Council of Europe's Venice Commission.
QUESTION
What plans are there for a strengthening of the
Mediterranean dimension of the ENP?
ANSWER
The Portuguese Presidency is likely to attach
great importance to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (`EuroMed'),
especially on migration issues. However, the European Neighbourhood
Policy (ENP) will remain a coherent, cohesive policy. The Portuguese
have underlined that, while they will seek to develop a fresh
approach towards the Mediterranean region, they will maintain
a holistic approach to the ENP and intensify political dialogue
with both Southern and Eastern neighbours. As I mentioned during
our meeting, the Commission is organising a high-level ENP conference
on 3 September in Brussels to which Mediterranean and Eastern
ENP partners have been invited.
We believe that EuroMed should reinforce ENP
aims of good governance and reform. We used our 2005 EU Presidency
to push EuroMed towards more reform-oriented action and goals.
As we approach the second anniversary of the Barcelona Summit,
we want the EuroMed Foreign Ministers Conference (Lisbon, 5-6
November) to demonstrate tangible progress against the Barcelona
commitments on political, economic and social reform, with clear
targets for 2008, and follow-up to the EuroMed Code of Conduct
on Countering Terrorism.
31 July 2007
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