24 June, 1200 Brussels time

Up at 0500 to catch the NATO ‘plane to Astana’, where I’ll be leading the UK Delegation (including Parliamentarians and officials from London) to the bi-annual Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Security Forum.  The focus is on ‘Security Through Partnership’; I’ll be speaking tomorrow on a Panel on the Role of Afghanistan’s Neighbours, with Deputy Ministers and Advisers from Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan.  Who would have thought 10 years ago that NATO would be engaged in this sort of activity – but it’s important.

Our aircraft has kindly been provided by the Kazakh government.  The six hour flight provides an opportunity to refresh my memory on the background to this interesting country.  Otherwise it’s work, work, work – mostly catching up with the backlog caused by a major IT update in the Delegation.  In some ways it was nice to be without e-mail for two days, but we’re all now paying the price!

As I write, we’re flying close to Yekaterinburg, crossing the Urals.  The sky’s clear and the landscape below impressive, a reminder of just how large Russia really is.  Another two hours or so to landing

24 June, 2000 Brussels time

We landed smoothly and had a good drive into the city – a cluster of modern buildings in a flat landscape.  Into the hotel for a meeting with my colleague Paul Brummell and Lord Sewel, a Parliamentarian attached to the EAPC Delegation with an interest in energy security.

While other members of the team went off to a reception and cultural event at Astana’s Palace of Peace and Accord, Heads of Delegation met for an informal working dinner.  The discussion was designed to help prepare for tomorrow’s Forum and focused on Afghanistan, Energy Security and the situation in the Caucasus.  Allies were very interested in hearing Partners’ views on the possible evolution of the EAPC machinery, exploiting the new flexibility agreed at Riga.  One Head of Delegation drew attention to the similarity of membership between the EAPC and OSCE, arguing that in some ways the two organisations could be usefully complementary.  It will be interesting to see how the formal meetings turn out tomorrow.

25 June, 0830 Brussels time

As home-base is waking up, we're coming to the end of a morning of discussions.

A drive to the Independence Palace gave us an impression of Astana's architecture and layout as a new capital.

Then, after clearing security, a message from the President of Kazakhstan and statements from the NATO Secretary General and Kazakh and Danish Foreign Ministers.  Much emphasis on the need to build sustainable security arrangements in Central Asia that will be consistent with, and reinforce, the efforts of other organisations such as the EAPC, the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (who were represented for the first time at an EAPC meeting) and (from some) the Collective Security Treaty Organisation.  Other highlights were Afghanistan (a very good statement from the Danish Foreign Minister), and Kazakhstan's nuclear-free vocation.

Subsequently the meeting split into three working groups on Afghanistan; Energy Security and Central Asia.  I did Afghanistan, and found quite a lively discussion.  It reinforced my views on the importance of the Comprehensive Approach, and in particular of promoting better governance.  An intervention from an Afghan MP underlined the sensitivity of civilian casualties for ordinary Afghans.

More to come this afternoon.  My Russian colleague has been very active with the press.

25 June, 1330 Brussels time

Sitting in the airport waiting for a flight to Istanbul to address a seminar on International Security organised by a US/French Non Governmental Organisation.

The Security Forum concluded this afternoon with a further session of Working Groups on Afghanistan, the Caucasus and Energy Security.  I sat on a panel on the Regional Dimension to Afghanistan, with Deputy Ministers from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and a senior adviser to the Afghan Foreign Minister.  There was a clear determination to work together to help Afghanistan.  But the discussion provided some fascinating insights into the cultural differences between the Central Asian countries, and the way they see each other.

All in all a worthwhile 24 hours.  The EAPC Security Forum helped Allies and other Western Partners understand Central Asian concerns, and flagged some areas where the EAPC framework can be of real help.  Let's hope we can make use of them in the future.

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