Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock sees opportunities for closer cooperation with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in order to achieve greater independence from China and Russia.

There is great interest in both countries in greater cooperation with Europe, but not as a complete turning away from China and Russia, said the Green politician on the sidelines of her visit to the Uzbek city of Samarkand. This is a challenge given the region's geographical location and historical connections.

A longer process

Baerbock said: "This will not be an immediate step, but a longer process. But open discussion is needed for longer processes in particular." She added: "Above all, we need green hydrogen in Europe. We need raw materials. Otherwise we cannot shape digitization, the energy transition." It is crucial "that we jointly expand closer trade relations on the basis of fair competitive conditions, human rights and environmental standards". There is a lot of interest in that too.

Baerbock wants to travel back to Germany in the afternoon (local time) to chair the meeting of foreign ministers of the G7 countries of economically strong democracies there on Thursday and Friday. There, too, in view of the Russian war against Ukraine and its consequences, the focus should be on greater independence from Russia and China.

Learning from the past

With regard to the G7 meeting, the minister emphasized: "We will continue to support Ukraine with everything we have, especially with a view to the winter and beyond." Above all, however, one will talk about how one can learn from the dependence on Russia in the past, "to position ourselves more broadly in the future together as democracies and strong industrialized countries". One should "no longer make oneself so fundamentally dependent on a country that does not share our values ​​that we end up being open to blackmail."

Baerbock also mentioned Africa in this context. In 2015, the industrialized countries promised the African countries "that we would electrify Africa together, using green energy. And we have to do that now." This requires investments in the billions, which can only be achieved together. That will also be an issue in Münster. Baerbock also invited African politicians to the G7 round.

projects and heritage

In the morning, Baerbock had visited an irrigation project supported by Germany near Samarkand. This is intended to support regional rapprochement between the states of Central Asia and promote dialogue on the consequences of climate change. In a women's shelter, an exchange between Baerbock and the director and with women affected by domestic violence was also planned. Visiting a jeans factory should be about sustainable supply chains.

Baerbock also learned about the cultural heritage of the millennia-old city of Samarakand. Founded as an oasis city, Samarkand used to be a caravan hub. The ancient Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean Sea passed through the place.

The central square and most famous sight is the Registan with old Koran schools, magnificent portals, a mosque and bluish shimmering majolica tiles on the facades and domes. Unesco declared the city center a World Heritage Site in 2001 and praised the "masterpieces of Islamic architecture".