Council of the European Union

Pierre Morel, EU Special Representative for Central Asia

Mission statement of Pierre Morel for Central Asia

The creation, in July 2005, of the post of European Union Special Representative for Central Asia signalled the realisation by the EU of the growing importance of this vast region which links Europe and Asia. For reasons of stability and security, of development and of energy security, the European Union must now be more effective and more visible in Central Asia.

Since my appointment in October 2006, I have visited regularly the five capitals in the region and I have been working closely with the Council's General Secretariat and the Commission's services to define the EU Strategy for new Partnership with Central Asia, adopted in June 2007 under the aegis of the German Presidency.

The Strategy has established itself as a platform for the overall realization of EU policy towards Central Asia. Through the past year, EU member states and EU institutions have made an initial analysis and developed concepts for deepening EU involvement in each strategic area, identified by the document: common security threats, human rights, the rule of law, economics, energy and transport, environment and water, including climate change, youth and education. The EU-CA strategy has now entered in a stage of substantial implementation. My immediate task is to coordinate the efforts of all EU actors in the implementation of the new elements of the EU approach - for example the "national priority papers", which allow for differentiated approach to the countries in the region, or the "regional initiatives" on rule of law, environment, water and education - and to contribute to the work of high level meetings organised by member states. 

I am committed to the development of the political dialogue with Central Asia which has entered into a full fledged and regular exchange. It has proved to be a key factor to extending cooperation between the European Union and Central Asia on both a regional and bilateral level. As well as maintaining this continuing dialogue with each of the Central Asian capitals, I keep in regular contact with major actors in the region, such as Russia, China, the United States and Japan, with regional authorities and with the multilateral organisations active in these countries, particularly the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). EU Strategy focuses on the characteristics of each of the five Central Asian countries and on the operational dimension of European engagement.

The countries of Central Asia all consider themselves to be "Eurasian" and explicitly stress their attachment to Europe. Today, they are at a crossroads, often in a difficult context. By accurately assessing the issues at stake as well as its own capacities, the EU can meet their expectations by constructing a long-term partnership founded on security, the rule of law and development.

	Statement of EUSR for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, at the Third EU-Central Asia High Level Conference on the Platform for Environment and Water Cooperation - Rome, 5-6 November 2009
	Interview to EUSR for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, published in EU Council website, August 2009
	Remarks of the EUSR for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, on the events that occurred in Eastern Tajikistan - Published on BBC Persian Website on 13 July 2009
	"L'Asie Centrale a besoin de dialogues sur l'eau" - Article du RSUE pour l'Asie Centrale, Pierre Morel - Nezavissimaya Gazeta, 27 avril 2009  ru
	Intervention of EUSR for Central Asia, Pierre Morel - International conference "Reliable and stable transit of energy and its role in ensuring sustainable development and International Cooperation" - Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 23-24 April 2009
	Interview of Pierre Morel, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, to Nezavissimaya Gazeta - January/February 2009
	"Exclusive interview to News Central Asia: Ambassador Pierre Morel, EU Special Representative for Central Asia", 20 January 2009
	"La consolidation de nos efforts est importante", entretien accordé par le RSUE pour l'Asie Centrale au journal Nejtral'nyj Turkmenistan, 4 décembre 2008
	Remarks by EUSR for Central Asia and for the crisis in georgia Pierre Morel to the OSCE Permanent Council, Vienna, 6 November 2008
	Partnership Declaration - Ministerial Conference on Border Management and Drug Control in Central Asia, Dushanbe 21-22 October 2008  ru
	Joint Declaration of the Participants in the EU-Central Asia Forum on Security Issues, Paris, 18 September 2008   ru
	Intervention by EUSR for Central Asia Pierre Morel to the OSCE 2008 Annual Security Review Conference, Vienna, 1 July 2008