xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"

Article 3Mandate

1.In order to achieve the policy objectives, the EUSR’s mandate shall be to:

(a)promote overall political coordination of the Union in Central Asia and ensure consistency of the external actions of the Union in the region;

(b)monitor, on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR) and in accordance with his mandate, together with the Commission the implementation process of the EU Strategy for a New Partnership with Central Asia, make recommendations and report to relevant Council bodies on a regular basis;

(c)assist the Council in further developing a comprehensive policy towards Central Asia;

(d)follow closely political developments in Central Asia by developing and maintaining close contacts with governments, parliaments, judiciary, civil society and mass media;

(e)encourage Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to cooperate on regional issues of common interest;

(f)develop appropriate contacts and cooperation with the main interested actors in the region, and all relevant regional and international organisations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Eurasian Economic Community (EURASEC), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program (CAREC) and the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC);

(g)contribute to the implementation of the EU human rights policy and EU Guidelines on Human Rights, in particular with regard to women and children in conflict-affected areas, especially by monitoring and addressing developments in this regard;

(h)contribute, in close cooperation with the OSCE, to conflict prevention and resolution by developing contacts with the authorities and other local actors (NGOs, political parties, minorities, religious groups and their leaders);

(i)provide input to the formulation of energy security, anti-narcotics and water resource management aspects of the CFSP with respect to Central Asia.

2.The EUSR shall support the work of the HR and maintain an overview of all activities of the Union in the region.