Romanian MEP Ramona Mănescu (PNL, EPP) said that a constructive dialogue is needed between the European Union and Turkmenistan, in a workshop held in the European Parliament. Such an agreement ” will definitely facilitate in a significant way the relation between EU and Turkmenistan and, furthermore, will facilitate the promotion of human rights in Turkmenistan”, underlined Mănescu.
MEP Ramona Mănescu, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, is a rapporteur of a non-legislative resolution on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between The European Union and Turkmenistan.
”I start by welcoming our guest speakers, they are very important speakers on EU-Turkmenistan relations. We are very happy that they are here and to hear what they have to say on this matter. We are trying to conclude and to give the consent of the European Parliament at a certain moment on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Turkmenistan. The process is ongoing and that was the main idea of organizing this debate: to find a way to meet in the middle with our differences among the EP groups on this issue.”, stated the MEP.
”I would start by saying that the PCA will definitely facilitate in a significant way the relation between EU and Turkmenistan and, furthermore, will facilitate the promotion of human rights in Turkmenistan. Because what we have witnessed is a need and we will help even more Turkmenistan in their efforts to improve the human rights, the economic and social, politic rights for citizens there. We cannot only name and point out the minuses and the vulnerabilities that are in Turkmenistan, we also should help there in a concrete way. And that is why we shall try to do it through the PCA, to find a common understanding of what is needed, what was already done by the Turkmen government and we can welcome already some of the efforts that have been done through the human rights dialogue, where they were quite active and the fact the adopted 
already the National Action Plan on Human Rights. We shall find a common ground of discussion and see how we can better help them on the ground to develop the civil society, to develop a proper legislation in defending human rights, and all all rights for the citizens.”, argued Ramona Mănescu.
”I do hope our experts together with the Parliament will work on it in a very constructive way. I want to mention the help and assistance the EAES gave us and I am very glad that Toivo Klaar is here, because without the work there on the ground, we couldn’t acknowledge what is happening there. So I am glad that we are having this discussion and we are looking forward for some more cooperation”, the MEP concluded.
Context:
Starting 1999, EU’s PCA with Turkmenistan, one of the most closed and repressive countries in the world, has been appropriately delayed over grave human rights concerns. Consequently, in its April 2009 resolution on the EU-Turkmenistan Interim Trade Agreement (ITA), the European Parliament set out specific human rights benchmarks the Turkmen government would need to meet before the PCA could be ratified.
They include:
- the unconditional release of all political prisoners;
• the removal of obstacles to free travel;
• free access for the International Red Cross and other independent monitors; and
• improvements in civil liberties, including for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
in Turkmenistan.
The Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee reiterated these requirements in 2011, stressing that “protecting human rights is a prerequisite for closer ties with the EU.”, according to Human Rights Watch.
Since 2012 the Turkmen government has taken a number of steps that the EU considers to be aimed at improving compliance with international human rights standards, but more efforts are needed in order.
.
