AT THE MEETING WITH THE EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR CENTRAL ASIA, LITHUANIAN FOREIGN VICE-MINISTER ASSESSES THE EU-CENTRAL ASIA RELATIONS
At the international conference “Afghanistan and the region: practical approach for sustainable development” in Vilnius on 19 September, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Asta Skaisgirytė Liauškienė and the EU Special Representative for Central Asia Patricia Flor discussed the implementation of a strategy for EU cooperation with the Central Asia and other issues related to this region.
The meeting focused on the political dialogue between the EU and Central Asia, which aims to strengthen cooperation and promote common values. The Vice-Minister and the EU Special Representative discussed regional security issues, efforts to achieve peace in Afghanistan, the fight against extremism and the transit of drugs, strengthening of border security.
Officials also shared insights about one of the nowadays greatest challenges – joint efforts by the Central Asian countries to better prepare for the planned withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Attention was drawn to the fact that it was important to focus not only on security, but also on human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Skaisgirytė Liauškienė briefed the EU Special Representative for Central Asia about Lithuania’s efforts to contribute to the promotion of cooperation between the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan. At the initiative of Lithuania, as part of a continuous project of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), representatives from the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan are invited to participate in the training course for border guards at the Border Guard School in Medininkai. The participants of the course will gain information on organization of the state border protection in Lithuania, acquire useful practical skills and establish new contacts.
The EU Special Representative for Central Asia presented the initiative of the EU-Central Asia high level security dialogue and the process of is implementation. The Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed the necessity of the EU cooperation with the other organizations in the region, such as the United Nations, the OSCE, etc.
German diplomat Patricia Flor was appointed to succeed Ambassador Pierre Morel to the post of the EU Special Representative for Central Asia last July.
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