EU-US Cooperation in Central Asia: Parallel Lines Meet in Infinity?
EU-US Cooperation in Central Asia: Parallel Lines Meet in Infinity?

Author(s): Jos Boonstra, Marlène Laruelle
Subject(s): Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Security and defense, Social development, Geopolitics
Published by: CEPS Centre for European Policy Studies
Keywords: European Union; United States; cooperation; international relations; Central Asia; democracy; human rights; security; geopolitics;
Summary/Abstract: The European Union (EU) and the United States (U.S.) have many shared interests in Central Asia, but follow different approaches. The main points of convergence are the pursuit of human rights standards, democratic development, stability and security, and the broader economic and social development of the Central Asian states. Naturally, there are also divergences, springing above all from the U.S.’s and the EU’s differing geopolitical positioning throughout the world. While the U.S. focuses largely on hard security, the EU mostly seeks to promote its security objectives through longer-term development approaches. Furthermore, each has its own trade interests in the region, although these do not seem to conflict at large.

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