Kyrgyzstan: What is the “sleeping beauty” doing? On holiday ? (Shift)
Of course, it's the Easter holidays. Certainly it is Kyrgyzstan, a little far away, in the depths of Central Asia, on the edge of China. Admittedly, the situation is confused and the information
are slowly coming back to what increasingly appears to be a combined operation (maintenance of order/spontaneous reaction/foreign intervention). Certainly it is not the same situation
than in Georgia with a clear, radical, powerful intervention by a Russian neighbour. Certainly it is an American and Russian military base. But... all the same!
We can only be appalled by the lack of reaction from the European Union. Especially if we compare it with reaction to the summer of 2008 in the face of the conflict in Georgia: we
We were (also) in the presence of a former republic of the Soviet bloc, in a holiday context (in the middle of August) and with a very delicate political situation (a Russian neighbor
powerful, a massive American presence). But the EU had been there (admittedly with a hyperactive rotating presidency)... Not much there, apart from a word of concern from
Cathy Ashton, the EU's chief diplomat, after the arrests on April 7 (1), followed by a call for a return to calm and an offer of humanitarian assistance on April 8 (2). What is the
minimum of the minimum that any NGO with a telephone can do. And very little it seems to me for a continent that is claiming its place in the world.
At the level of the diplomatic floor
Because... the UN is sending an envoy. The United States as well. The Russians send troops to "protect their nationals" And the EU? She thinks, dawdles,
thinks that it will be fine: others are taking care of it.... However, the EU is represented in Bishkek by the German ambassador (due to the complex rules of rotating representation in
third countries (3). And it has a special representative for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, who normally knows the region (he is also in charge of the Georgian crisis). The EU has
also a cooperation agreement with the country. The European Commission also has a delegation there. And, there are excellent specialists in the matter in the European institutions. SO,
what are they doing, what is the political line followed and to be followed? Mystery... Silence... The Kyrgyz crisis does not seem to arouse either emotion or agitation. The next (normal) PSC meeting -
EU Political and Security Committee - is scheduled for Tuesday. And nothing has been decided to anticipate it. Americans and Russians are there, why hurry! We would almost say to ourselves:
help! Sarkozy come back....
Beyond the irony, it would still be necessary to ensure that our "Sleeping Beauty" and her High Representative, Cathy Ashton, wake up quickly, to avoid
that the "Haitian" situation happens again. Because otherwise we can ask the question, fatal! In fact, wasn't EU foreign policy better off under the old system: A
rotating presidency, certainly a little thunderous, but at least present?
To be continued: latest
news...
(3) System which should be terminated with the diplomatic service. But not yet in force in most Central Asian republics. Read 54 "ambassadors of the'UE"received their order to
mission
Find out more: : the page of the EU's external service on
Kyrgyzstan.
Le website from the EC Delegation in Kyrgyzstan which refers to the Delegation in Kazakhstan.
The country map
