EUROPEAN UNION SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
TO CENTRAL ASIA
Letter from Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP, Minister
for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Chairman
I am writing to let your Committee know of plans
to amend the mandate of the existing EU Special Representative
(EUSR) to Central Asia. The previous EUSR to Central Asia, Jan
Kubis, vacated his post in July following his appointment as Foreign
Minister of the Slovak Republic. Javier Solana is currently looking
for a successor to Jan Kubis. In my view there are strong arguments
for agreeing the Council Joint Action needed to appoint Jan Kubis's
successor in September, to enable an early appointment. However,
I am writing to highlight this issue as it would require an override
of parliamentary scrutiny.
If the Joint Action were not agreed in September
then Mr Kubis's successor would not be able to take up their post
until October. This is a crucial period in the EU's relations
with Central Asia. In particular the EU will be considering the
future of relations with Uzbekistan following the recent troika
visit, possible action on Uzbekistan at the Human Rights Council
in September and the renewal of targeted measures in October.
It will also be considering Kazakhstan's bid for the Chairmanship
of the OSCE in 2009. The EUSR plays an important role in these
considerations, and I believe that early appointment of Mr Kubis's
successor is crucial.
If the Joint Action is adopted in September,
this would unfortunately mean that there is not enough time for
your Committee to scrutinise the decision. In the light of the
need to allow a continued EUSR presence in Central Asia I hope
that your Committee will understand that I am reluctant to ask
the Council to postpone its decision until after scrutiny has
been completed.
I will of course write to update you as soon
as Mr Kubis's successor has been appointed. I would be grateful
to know as soon as possible whether you have any objection to
this way of proceeding.
3 September 2006
| 
