1. The European Union warmly welcomes Ambassador Antti Karttunen to the
Permanent Council and thanks him for his comprehensive report.
2. As the OSCE region and beyond continues to grapple with the consequences
of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, we commend the Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) for its continued efforts in all three dimensions
of security, as well as on cross-dimensional topics. We also commend the host
country in implementing OSCE principles and commitments in line with
Uzbekistan´s reform priorities. Moreover, we appreciate Uzbekistan’s
strengthened engagement with the OSCE, facilitated by the PCUz.
3. We took note of the elections of the Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistan, held on 27 October in accordance with the regular election cycle and observed by many international observers, including from OSCE/ODIHR. We also took note of the ODIHR recommendations and look forward to their implementation by
Uzbekistan.
4. We particularly support the continuation of PCUz projects and activities in the
following areas: promoting gender equality, media freedom, countering
cybercrime - including the misuse of AI for criminal purposes - and enhancing
ICT security promoting human rights, supporting a multi-stakeholder approach
in preventing and responding to radicalisation, violent extremism and terrorism, promoting democratic reforms, enhancing the role of youth, promoting anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, combating corruption, preventing trafficking in human beings, preventing torture, promoting small business development, and increasing employment opportunities.
5. We further appreciate your support for inclusive economic development in
Uzbekistan through the promotion of digitalisation and gender equality.
6. We welcome the PCUz’s cooperation with the authorities of Uzbekistan in
addressing climate and environmental challenges, notably the Samarkand
Climate Forum, which followed the EU-Central Asia Summit.
7. We highly value the PCUz’s support for Uzbekistan in its ongoing reform
process, especially in the area of judicial reform, insofar as it is being
undertaken, and capacity-building in the justice sector. Moreover, we express
our support for the PCUz’s efforts to support Uzbekistan in promoting media
freedom and the safety of journalists, and would appreciate more information
about its activities and results in this area.
8. We also appreciate the PCUz’s work in supporting Uzbekistan’s efforts to
promote gender equality and strengthen the role of women in society.
9. We regret that the non-adoption of the OSCE’s Unified Budget since 2021 has
negatively affected the PCUz’s capacity to implement its mandate efficiently and
to deliver project activities in a timely manner. This has had negative
consequences on PCUz’s staff and administrative matters, and we call on all
participating States to take them into account when negotiating the budget.
10.We underline the importance of the PCUz being present with activities across
Uzbekistan and across all three dimensions in a balanced manner, with
particular focus on areas where it can deliver the greatest added value, and
encourage continued engagement in this respect.
11.The EU continues to support reform efforts in Uzbekistan. We attach great
importance to the security, stability and prosperity of Uzbekistan and the wider
region. The successful first-ever Central Asia–EU Summit in Samarkand was a
valuable opportunity to strengthen the bi-regional partnership. We reaffirm the
EU Strategy on Central Asia, which focuses on promoting resilience, prosperity
and regional cooperation in Central Asia. The implementation of this strategy offers a solid foundation for building a strong and durable partnership between
the EU and Central Asia. The promotion and protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, civil society, women’s rights, sustainable
development, and good governance, among others, remain at the core of our
relations.
12.In conclusion, the European Union thanks Ambassador Antti Karttunen and his team for their valuable work and wishes them every success.
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.