Factors impeding effectiveness of security cooperation between the EU and Central Asian countries

Abstract

This article is devoted to the consideration of factors impeding effectiveness of security cooperation between the European Union and the countries of Central Asia. The author examines in detail the following aspects of the EU and Central Asian countries’ interrelations: enhancing the international responsibility of the European Union on the world arena, the EU initiatives on the democratization of political processes in the countries of Central Asia, the spread of drug trafficking, the problems associated with terrorist activities in Central Asia, the investment climate of the Central Asian region, the perception of democracy by both the EU and the countries of Central Asia, the East-West confrontation and other. The authors reveal the current problems of cooperation, offering ways out of this situation, since the relationship between the EU and Central Asia, including the security sector, have the potential for further improvement. The brief characteristic of the EU’s cooperation with each Central Asian country is summarized in the article; it identifies the advantages and disadvantages of the Central Asian countries on their way towards democracy. The political interests of each side are also analyzed in the article.
Key words: effectiveness, security, cooperation, European Union, Central Asia, geopolitics, democratization.