EU's Charles Michel arrives in Central Asia to tighten ties

CHOLPON-ATA, Kyrgyzstan – European Council president Charles Michel was in Kyrgyzstan on Friday for a key summit as Brussels seeks to tighten ties with Central Asian countries that Russia sees as its sphere of influence.

The leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan took part in the get-together in the resort town of Cholpon-Ata on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.

A delegation from Turkmenistan also participated.

The high-profile meeting came after Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted the leaders of the five Central Asian countries for a key summit in Xi’an in northern China in May.

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted global powers like China and the European Union to seek a greater role in Central Asia.

These inroads come at a time when many in the region are questioning their longstanding ties with Russia and seek economic, diplomatic and strategic assurances elsewhere.

The EU is the top donor in Central Asia, with assistance to the region reaching €1.1 billion (S$1.6 billion) between 2014 and 2020.

Brussels is also the Central Asian countries’ main investment partner, followed by the United States, Russia and China.

It was Mr Michel’s second visit to the region since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine last year, sending shivers across Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

The EU chief visited neighbouring Kazakhstan for a similar summit last October.

Russia remains the main regional power and the countries of Central Asia have been criticised for helping Moscow circumvent Western sanctions, which they deny.

The region remains largely tightly controlled and unstable, with deadly clashes in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as well as suppressed uprisings in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in recent years.

Neighbouring Afghanistan, under control of the Taliban, is also a source of instability. AFP