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On 31 May, the German Marshall Fund (GMF) Brussels office hosted a delegation of parliamentarians from the Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan for a discussion on the evolving internal dynamics of the region, as well as an analysis of the outlook for international involvement from their respective nations.  The discussion was moderated by Dr. John Richardson, GMF senior transatlantic fellow, and was attended by representatives of civil society organizations, as well as the European External Action Service, European Parliament, European Commission and NATO.    The discussion opened with an overview of internal reforms aimed at increasing the democratic legitimacy of governments that are taking place in the region, and an outline of the various policy successes which have been achieved in recent decades. The characteristics of the various parliamentary systems were highlighted, along with recently implemented initiatives in the areas of education, electoral systems, and internal reforms related to democratization. Participants also discussed aspirations for international involvement in energy markets and trade routes.   Questions from the audience touched on the finer points of governance structures in the respective republics, the nature of relations with Afghanistan and Iran, the order of priority for foreign engagement with major world powers, and the success in combating drug trafficking and instability in Afghanistan.  The audience also asked for the perspective of the parliamentarians regarding EU involvement in the region and what they perceived was the most successful approach in achieving common goals in Central Asia.