MEPs have wrapped up a visit to Central Asia, where the issues of the circumvention of sanctions featured prominently in exchanges with high-level politicians and stakeholders, the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic said.
In Kyrgyzstan, the delegation met with President Sadyr Japarov, the Speaker and members of Kyrgyzstan’s Jogorku Kenesh and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives of civil society and independent media.
Following the visit, Foreign Affairs Committee Chair David McAllister (EPP, Germany) said: “Central Asia is a strategically important region for the European Union. Our visit to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan reconfirmed the need for the EU to intensify its presence in and involvement with the countries of the region.
This is a period of challenges, but also opportunities, for developing our relations. The most pressing issue we raised was the risk of the circumvention of sanctions. We stated that sanctions are directed at the aggressors – Russia and Belarus, not the countries of Central Asia. Allowing sanction circumvention feeds the Russian war machine and results in a rising death toll in Ukraine.
We welcome the readiness of the two governments to work with the EU on this issue.
Source : Akipress