Relato integral dos debates

Terça-feira, 3 de Outubro de 2023 - Estrasburgo

19. Usbequistão (debate)

  Sēdes vadītājs. – Nākamais darba kārtības punkts ir debates par Ilhan Kyuchyuk ziņojumu Ārlietu komitejas vārdā par Uzbekistānu (2022/2195(INI)) (A9-0227/2023).

  Ilhan Kyuchyuk, rapporteur. – Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, this report tells us a lot about it. Firstly, the EU-Uzbekistan relationship as of 2023 and the important transformation which Uzbekistan has gone through. Secondly, the new geostrategic importance of the EU’s Central Asian relations, with Uzbekistan playing a central role. Thirdly, the very positive regional integration initiatives, which have been taken by all Central Asian republics. And finally, the many hurdles, which still exist in terms of human rights and environmental protection, but which stand ready to be tackled and improved.

I am proud to say that our House, the European Parliament, often manages to find a constructive consensus on difficult policies. Today’s report on Uzbekistan is no exception. Our report received broad and solid backing from across political parties as well as European institutions and Member States during the AFET Committee vote.

One might start asking oneself: ‘Why is this report so relevant for the EU today, both here in Parliament as well as across other EU institutions and in Member State capitals?’ And I tell you the answer: it is because our relationship with Central Asia has changed dramatically since the war in Ukraine and because the relationship represents an important strategic milestone in EU foreign policy. And the number of visits to the region is unprecedented and speaks for itself.

Times are changing fast and the EU of our early careers is becoming a mature union of principles, strategically sovereign choices and inevitable power projection, which comes with new responsibilities. The war in Ukraine told us that we must be able to defend our values and interests and seek out like-minded, new and independent partnerships for regional integration, water security, digital safety, supply chains, connectivity, critical raw materials and the environment, all of which are key in Uzbekistan and across other parts of Central Asia.

This is because Uzbekistan and Central Asia are rich in minerals needed for our renewable transition. And because this is a highly skilled and educated region with existing supply chain infrastructure and with relatively low levels of conflict compared to elsewhere. It is also because it’s part of the post-Soviet group of countries that are keenly seeking to break away from Russia and form a new and equal relationship with the EU and their own regional neighbours.

Another very important reason why this report is relevant is because it both highlights the important geoeconomic and geopolitical priorities, while showing important developments made by Uzbekistan over the past decade – as well as the remaining issues and pitfalls, namely surrounding human rights. It is important to stay realistic and fact based on this sensitive subject.

Firstly, Uzbekistan continues to encounter serious human rights breaches. This is clear when taking into account EU delegation as well as international and local civil society assessments and reports. The most urgent point to raise is that civil society registration remains biased and difficult, while better legal protection and civil society registration should be diligently pursued by the Uzbek Government and carefully monitored.

This is not only because it is a key component of the relationship with the EU, but equally because labour, environmental and human rights are prerequisites for future EU private sector investments and supply chains across the region as part of the EU diligence legislation.

Despite these challenges, it should, however, be noted that Uzbekistan has – in relative terms – progressed more than most countries in the same time span.

  Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Members of the European Parliament. Uzbekistan is an important partner for the European Union in a region of high strategic value. Uzbekistan is a young country that is rapidly growing. Its recent evolution since the death of post-independence President Karimov has been remarkable.

I had the chance personally to appreciate Uzbekistan’s stance during the crisis we faced a couple of years ago with instrumentalisation of migration by the Belarus regime, and I had the chance to appreciate the commitment of the President of the Government of Uzbekistan in helping Europe in a moment of need.

The report, presented by Rapporteur Kyuchyuk strikes a good balance, highlighting the progress that the country has achieved and pointing to persistent challenges and weaknesses that require further attention. The European Union is actively engaged in building a stronger partnership with Uzbekistan. Last year in July, we initialled the new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Uzbekistan that will extend our cooperation into new areas, deepening it across the board.

Shortly before that, in April last year, we admitted Uzbekistan to the GSP+, the Generalised System of Preferences Plus scheme, cutting tariffs on imports to reward and further incentivise progress in ratifying and implementing international agreements on human rights, good governance and the environment.

The EU is an important cooperation partner for Uzbekistan. The Multiannual Indicative Programme allocation for the period 2021-2024 is around EUR 76 million, and it focuses on three priority areas effective governance and digital transformation, inclusive and green growth and the development of a smart, eco—friendly agrifood sector.

A key feature of the new programme is a Team Europe Initiative that aims at facilitating the development of the country’s agrifood sector, a key driver of employment and economic growth in an inclusive, green, sustainable, gender—responsive and climate—smart manner. The EU contribution to this overall Team Europe Initiative is a budget support programme of around EUR 27 million last year.

The country is an active advocate and driver of closer regional cooperation and works hard to be a constructive partner in multilateral fora. The EU supports Uzbekistan’s application to join the World Trade Organisation, including through a EUR 5 million project. We also note that the country has taken what it calls a ‘balanced, neutral position’ on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in view of its traditionally close ties with Russia. In the current geopolitical context, Uzbekistan aims to diversify away from its dependencies and seize its relationship with the EU in that context of diversifying away from the factors that make its economy dependent.

The European Commission has worked closely with Uzbekistan to address the sensitive and very important for us issue of circumventing international sanctions on Russia. The country still has some way to go in that respect to be able to live up to its international obligations and to implement the word of its President, namely on delivering political reform and guaranteeing freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

We do, as the European Union, raise these issues with Uzbekistan at every opportunity and at all levels. Human rights and democracy are core elements of our new agreement, and, of course, they are the foundation that underpin GSP+. As we build closer to relations with Uzbekistan, we will strengthen our dialogue to hold our partners to deliver on their promises and to pursue a broad path of reforms.

  Liudas Mažylis, PPE frakcijos vardu. – Dėkoju, Pirmininke, Komisare, kolegos. Šių dienų geopolitinis kontekstas verčia apgalvoti strateginių partnerių pasirinkimą. Rusijai eskaluojant agresyvų, neteisėtą, karą Ukrainoje, Centrinės Azijos regionas įgyja papildomos svarbos. Uzbekistanas yra raktinė regiono valstybė, siekianti įvairinti savo ekonominę ir prekybinę priklausomybę nuo Rusijos. Tad tvirtesnio partnerystės ir bendradarbiavimo susitarimo sudarymą, GSP Plius suteikimą laikau sveikintinu. Galima konstatuoti teigiamus Uzbekistano vyriausybės veiksmus, pavyzdžiui, regioninė diplomatija vandens srityje, kova su neteisėta imigracija, organizuotu nusikalstamumu ir terorizmu. Europa gali padėti ir padeda Uzbekistanui žengti reformų keliu, teikti techninę pagalbą, taip pat ir vykdant žaliąją pertvarką. Kartu negalima pamiršti, kad ten klesti korupcija, varžoma žiniasklaidos laisvė, trūksta politinio pliuralizmo, esama rimtų žmogaus teisių pažeidimų. Ypatingą nerimą kelia pagrįstos spėlionės, ar tikrai sankcijos Rusijai nėra apeidinėjamos būtent per Centrinės Azijos regiono valstybes. Išlaikydamas atsargumą išreiškiu pritarimą pranešimui, pabrėždamas, kad situacija Centrinėje Azijoje yra kintanti ir raidos dinamika turi būti ypatingai dėmesingai stebima.

  Karsten Lucke, im Namen der S&D-Fraktion. – Herr Präsident, Herr Kommissar, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Wir schauen uns derzeit im Auswärtigen Ausschuss Zentralasien aus geostrategischer Perspektive an. Mein Bericht zur EU-Zentralasien-Strategie befindet sich gerade im parlamentarischen Prozess. Daher ist dieser sehr gute, umfassende und ausgewogene Bericht heute zu Usbekistan ein idealer Moment, um die europäisch-zentralasiatischen Beziehungen energisch und auch nachhaltig voranzutreiben.

Ich bin überzeugt und werbe sehr stark dafür, dass wir unsere Kooperation mit Usbekistan deutlich ausbauen. Wir haben in diesem Bericht auch deutlich gemacht, wo die vielfältigen Chancen und Potenziale liegen: Sicherheit, Konnektivität, Energiediversifizierung, Konfliktlösung, die multilaterale regelbasierte Ordnung, und das sind nur die großen Säulen der Kooperation, die hier zu nennen sind.

Gleichzeitig haben wir deutlich gemacht, dass Usbekistan aus unserer Perspektive auch innenpolitisch noch Hausaufgaben zu erledigen hat, wenn es um Schutz und Wahrung der Menschenrechte geht, um Ausbau der Demokratie, Meinungs- und Medienfreiheit und Rechtsstaatlichkeit.

Wir können festhalten, dass wir diverse Bereiche der Zusammenarbeit und vielfältige Kooperationen haben. Das neue Partnerschafts- und Kooperationsabkommen ist ein ideales Tool, das wir nutzen sollten, denn der Ausbau der usbekisch-europäischen Partnerschaft ist eine Win-win-Situation und wir brauchen jetzt den politischen Willen und auch die Dynamik, wirklich diesen Weg zu gehen.

  Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, with its young, hard-working population, natural resources and rich history, Uzbekistan has everything it needs to become Central Asia’s success story.

However, its people are struggling, its resources and land are eroding, and China and Russia – its autocratic neighbours – have turned it into their personal playground. The EU cannot decide to engage in more trade while turning a blind eye to the human rights abuses in Uzbekistan. Sure, working conditions in the cotton fields are improving, child labour is largely outlawed, but there is still a long way to go. Water resources are being mismanaged, cities are covered in toxic dust and the country is partly being turned into a desert. An ecological disaster looms over the 35 million people in Uzbekistan if these processes are not reversed.

The next EU enlargement will bring Uzbekistan much closer to the EU. Its people deserve a democratic alternative to China and Russia. The EU must be more present in Central Asia so it can do more for improving the lives of people and protecting its unique ecosystem.

  Thierry Mariani, au nom du groupe ID. – Monsieur le Président, l’Union européenne a enfin compris que les pays d’Asie centrale méritent toute notre attention. L’Ouzbékistan, il est vrai, est un pays essentiel pour l’Europe. Son dynamisme économique, sa lutte déterminée contre les radicalismes et ses contacts constructifs avec l’Afghanistan en font un pays déterminant dans la région.

Comme le note le rapport, il est donc urgent de continuer à approfondir et à intensifier nos relations avec Tachkent. Il convient cependant d’y agir en acteur raisonnable. Ceux qui prônent un investissement dans la région pour défier la Chine ou la Russie agissent avec arrogance et aveuglement. L’Asie centrale est la zone exemplaire de l’émergence d’un monde multipolaire où il convient d’agir en respectant parfaitement la souveraineté et l’intégrité des institutions ouzbèkes. À cet égard, je le regrette encore une fois, un tiers des articles environ de la résolution consiste à donner des leçons de démocratie à un pays dont l’indépendance remonte à 1991.

Nous nous abstiendrons donc sur ce rapport qui sonne un peu comme une occasion manquée. Les progrès de l’Ouzbékistan sont reconnus par tous les observateurs sérieux dans la région et ils méritent d’être mieux encouragés.

  Katarína Roth Neveďalová (S&D). – Pán predsedajúci,  Uzbekistan je najľudnatejšou krajinou Strednej Ázie a takisto krajinou s najmladším obyvateľstvom v tomto regióne. Považujem za veľmi dôležité za posledné obdobie, že nastal pokrok v zlepšení pracovných podmienok. Eliminovala sa detská práca v tejto krajine a takisto aj práca, ktorú považujeme za nútenú.

Myslím si ale, že je dôležité zdôrazniť, že síce aj keď Uzbekistan už pristúpil k niektorým dohovorom medzinárodnej organizácie práce, tak stále sú niektoré medzinárodné štandardy, ktoré ešte stále nemá prijaté do svojej národnej legislatívy. A v tomto by sme mali podporiť. Napríklad férové odmeňovanie ľudí pracujúcich na bojovníkoch poliach, alebo bezpečnosť pri práci.

Považujem Uzbekistan za dôležitého regionálneho partnera, ktorý dokáže zabezpečiť stabilitu a bezpečnosť v tomto regióne, a preto by sme mali s ním oveľa viacej pracovať aj na diplomatickej úrovni, a mali by byť naše kontakty oveľa viac pravidelné.

Myslím si, že tieto vzťahy by sme mali zlepšovať na bilaterálnej úrovni. Takisto by sme mali zlepšovať svoj vzájomný obchod s touto krajinou a spoločne bojovať proti organizovanému zločinu, terorizmu a takisto podporovať zelenú transformáciu v tejto krajine a viac využívanie zelenej energie.

  Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Members, thank you for your continued interest in Uzbekistan. Your political engagement, and that of our rapporteur, will be seen not only in Tashkent, but I am sure will also be felt across Central Asia and beyond.

On a more personal note, as a Greek from Macedonia, I feel particularly sensitive around Uzbekistan, as my compatriot Alexander the Great many centuries ago reached that country, performed lots of productive and cultural investments there, and is still revered and admired as a force of good by the people of Uzbekistan. They still think that ‘Iskandar’ is a force of good.

The EU will continue to be a force of good, of modern times, for Uzbekistan, recognising the country’s growing importance as a regional and international partner. In doing so, we will not hesitate to hold Uzbekistan to a high standard and to speak in frankness, as friends normally do, where shortcomings exist.

Above all, we will offer our partnership and support Uzbekistan as it pursues its important programme of reforms and addresses the many challenges identified in the report presented by the House today.

  Ilhan Kyuchyuk, rapporteur. – Mr President, I wish to thank the Commissioner again for his concluding remarks and to thank colleagues for their input. I fully agree with those saying that we need more diplomacy and cooperation with Uzbekistan, not less.

Let me conclude by saying what is the most important part of the discussion and what is the way forward, actually. First, I think we should continue to carefully monitor the NGOs and civil society registration process in Uzbekistan. This will be important both for human, environmental and labour rights under due diligence, and therefore also affecting the business and investment climate.

Secondly, increase the EU-Uzbekistan security and digital engagement dialogues. This is a key prerequisite for EU and private sector risk assessment for existing, future and new supply chain hubs in the region, especially ahead of the new year’s investors’ forum.

Thirdly, continuous support for international and EU-funded organisations like the European Neighbourhood Council, Human Rights Watch, and the ILO in order to conduct evidence-based research, data collection and surveying in Uzbekistan. This helps guide our choices and policies and should not be infringed under any circumstances.

Fourthly, continue cooperation and exchanging with the European External Action Service, Member States, DGs and across political parties on the important new relationship with the EU, and develop the new Central Asia Asian Strategy together with Uzbekistan, both ahead of the Global Gateway Conference at the end of October, as well as in tandem with a potential summit visit next year.

Thank you so much for having this discussion today. I think it is important to strengthen the relationship with Uzbekistan, and certainly I have many takeaways from you, colleagues.

IN THE CHAIR: MARC ANGEL
Vice-President

  President. – The debate is closed. The vote will be held tomorrow, Wednesday 4 October.