A Game of Central Asia Hold’Em

This paper examines the role of Romania as a possible game-changer in EU external energy relations with Central Asia. The EU places more emphasis on conditionality, as a proven means to engage third states. However, this is only one ‘card’ which the EU has to play in what is metaphorically akin to a game of Texas Hold’em poker. The EU places too much emphasis on conditionality failing to take into account other cards in its hand. The paper suggests that Romania offers a series of advantages for the EU’s Central Asia relations, such as the development of the Black Sea port of Constanţa as a Eurasian hub for freight and hydrocarbons. The paper asks whether Romania provides the EU with a geo- strategic asset and, if so, can the EU maximize the benefit from it allowing EU-Central Asian energy relations to develop within a more traditional market oriented framework.