The complex relationship between Central Asia and water – EURACTIV.com

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In this week’s version: Water problems in Central Asia, Belarus in crisis mode, and the military build-up in Ukraine.

Most of Central Asia has experienced Extreme drought This year, record high temperatures affected the agricultural sector in the region and pushed up the prices of basic foods.

In April, an irrigation water dispute triggered a conflict The Kok-Tash border area of ​​Batken Province between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Over the past 15 years, both parties have claimed to have local water supply facilities, so tensions have become commonplace.

Their current joint border configuration is the product of Soviet cartographers drawing the borders of the Soviet Republic and crisscrossing roads and waterways.

After gaining independence, countries in Central Asia began to dispute the ownership of a large number of water and energy facilities, especially in the Fergana Valley in the border areas of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

During the Soviet period, the water supply in Central Asia was centrally controlled by Moscow. The legacy of the Soviet Union, including dams and changing the flow of rivers to develop large-scale irrigation projects, has caused widespread desertification.

The Aral Sea, used to be the fourth largest lake in the world, is now almost gone Dry up, Mainly due to the excessive development of industry and agriculture.

Experts worry that the impact extends far beyond the region itself. Lake Balkhash They warned that it might become the next Aral Sea because a nearby river that flows into the Aral Sea from China is being diverted to help irrigation projects on Chinese territory.

This, coupled with climate change, has caused Central Asia to face the risk of climate-related conflicts.

In the past, the “water war” between the upstream Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and the downstream Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan has seen that water becomes a catalyst for tensions as regional demand exceeds the amount available.

It remains to be seen whether the governments of the five Central Asian countries can cooperate on water-saving projects in the future.

The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev recently proposed the establishment of a Central Asian Deputy Minister’s Task Force to discuss water issues and the establishment of an International Water and Energy Alliance in Central Asia. This may be the beginning.

The EU Development Minister discussed on Friday (November 19) the issue of water resources in the EU’s external actions, especially its relations with Central Asian countries.

A few days ago, the EU-Central Asia meeting was scheduled to be held in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, on November 22. EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borel will meet with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan at the meeting. Discuss regional issues and EU support for the region with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.

Stanislav Raščan, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, said: “We firmly believe that water should be systematically integrated into the EU’s prevention, peacebuilding and peacekeeping interventions, and it needs to be a strategic partnership and political dialogue. Part of it,” told EURACTIV.

“The EU participates in various initiatives [in Central Asia] It shows that the EU attaches great importance to water management, environment, sustainable development and regional cooperation in the region,” he added.

When asked what should be done to better take the issue of water scarcity as a factor in EU foreign policy formulation, Raščan stated that the initiative should “better reflect the cross-cutting nature of water and its relationship with human development, ecosystem protection and climate change. The relevance of adaptive capacity”.

“Our water activities need to be conflict-sensitive and risk-oriented. Our peace interventions need to be “waterproof” through evidence-based, situation-specific, gender-sensitive, and human rights-based understanding of the role of water in the entire process. . Conflict cycle and conflict prevention,” he added.

Raščan said this has been reflected in the EU’s conflict analysis method for fragile states planning, the global conflict risk index and the structural risk assessment of the EU’s early warning system now include environmental-related indicators such as water stress.

In addition, he said that it is necessary to mainstream climate and environmental issues into the EU’s climate change and defense roadmap in the CSDP mission.

“Water and other environmental factors as well as natural resources should be included in the tasks of the EU Special Representative’s agenda for the Horn of Africa, the Sahel and the Middle East, the same route as they have in Central Asia,” Raščan added.

When it comes to general contacts with the region, EU officials believe that countries in the region have made progress in general, some of which are opening up, and all hope to cooperate more closely with the EU.

“Unlike their other partners, we are predictable, transparent, and have no hidden agenda. They know this,” an EU official said.

“The border issue is of course worrying, but we hope that it will be possible to resolve this issue in an appropriate way without having a broader impact on regional stability,” he pointed out.

EU in the world

Crisis Mode | The current situation on the border with Belarus should not be compared with the European immigration crisis six years ago. Because it is closer to military operations, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told a group of reporters including EURACTIV.

About sanctions | Earlier this week, EU has agreed Expanding the legal framework for anyone involved in trafficking in immigrants (including airlines, travel agencies, and officials) means prohibiting their leaders from traveling and freezing their European assets.

This includes threats to withdraw overflight and landing rights from airlines and travel companies that have been proven involved in migrant trafficking, as well as other companies responsible for helping Belarus bring refugees to the EU border.

In order to prepare in the “next few days”, the process of formulating the sanctions list faced some opposition, especially since Germany was still hesitant to sign the full signing of Belarusian airline Belarusian airlines. EU diplomats confirmed Eurak. Eastern Europeans are also dissatisfied with the telephone diplomacy between Berlin and Minsk. They think it is “on their heads,” another EU diplomat complained.

In addition to Belarus, the EU foreign ministers also agreed to impose more sanctions on secrets Russian Mercenary Corps Wagner In its participation in a series of hot issues.

Defensive angle

Belarus-Ukraine link| The EU and NATO are concerned about Russia’s increased military presence in Ukraine and its surrounding areas, as the escalating immigration crisis on the border between the EU and Belarus has prompted the transatlantic allies to take action.o Take Kiev’s warning seriously.

After the Presidents of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania held joint consultations and held virtual talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda, the three Baltic states expressed their willingness to Support Warsaw or support each other If they want to invoke Article 4.However, according to some regional diplomats, the recent international Pledge of solidarity, Try to calm down the fear temporarily.

However, Estonia wants to be as safe as its southern neighbors, and has gathered 1,700 reserve soldiers Assault drill, Including the installation of barbed wire barriers on the 40-kilometer border with Russia, as the immigration crisis in nearby Belarus has intensified.

Strategic Compass | The EU’s foreign ministers and defense ministers welcome the first blueprint for the EU’s future military strategy. This is only the beginning of the debate.However, some member states have A suggestive correction is coming.

Weapon deal flirting| After Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry between the two countries, the Greek government responded strongly. The Spanish-Turkish flirtation annoyed Athens.

Transatlantic connection

U.S. Envoy | After Republican Senator Josh Hawley cancelled his opposition to the nomination, the U.S. Senate finally confirmed President Joe Biden’s choice of NATO ambassador Julian Smith through a voice vote this week. After serving as the Pentagon’s European and NATO Policy Director, Smith served as Deputy National Security Advisor to then Vice President Biden.

Zoom in latest

Lost patience? | Despite announcing a “firm commitment” to Eastern partners, the EU’s unwillingness to achieve rapid integration for its most ambitious neighbors is Cause more and more frustration Earlier this week, senior diplomats met in Brussels to plan the future of the policy.

Hydraulic war | As Europe begins to transition to renewable energy, almost 100% of Albania’s electricity comes from hydropower. Facing opposition From communities affected by the construction of hydroelectric dams.

Eurasian Digest

Gas pressure | this The EU can and must force Gazprom The former Bulgarian ambassador to Russia and current natural gas market analyst told EURACTIV that by supplying natural gas to the border between Russia and Ukraine, European companies can then store these natural gas in Ukraine’s natural gas storage facilities, making them part of the EU’s strategic natural gas reserves.

The German energy regulator Bundesnetzagentur stated earlier this week that the Ukrainian gas companies Naftogaz and GTSOU Will be included They are in the ongoing German certification process for the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.

Border conflict | Conflict between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces Led to the deaths of several soldiers This is the worst fighting since last year’s war surrounding the long-standing dispute in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Diplomatic leaks| France and Germany blame Russia on Thursday Violation of diplomatic agreement This is the latest sign that Moscow’s relations with the West have deteriorated after Moscow announced their confidential communications about Ukraine.

The plight of Afghanistan | The war in Afghanistan and the current security situation hinder the sustainable development of large areas, Including Central AsiaUzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov told EURACTIV that this would undermine its investment and economic prospects.

WTO reform | As the chair country of the WTO meeting, Kazakhstan will Promote reform consensus At the upcoming ministerial meeting, Bakhyt Sultanov, Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan, told EURACTIV.