The issue of exchange of Vorukh exclave within Kyrgyzstan for any Kyrgyz land has never been discussed and will never be discussed.
Tajik President remarked this on April 9 during a meeting with residents of Vorukh. .
"There have not been any talks about the possible exchange of Vorukh for another territory in the last 19 years,” Tajik leader said noting that he that statement because of various reports have been spread via the media regarding the issue recently.
Rahmon noted that more than 100 rounds of negotiations held between Dushanbe and Bishkek since border delimitation talks started in 2002 and agreements on almost half of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border issues have been reached during those talks.
He further stressed that Tajikistan is interested in resolving the border delimitation and demarcation issues as soon as possible.
“Border delineation process is a long process and there is no place for emotions in the matter,” Emomali Rahmon said, calling on Vorukh residents to live “peacefully” with those on the other side of the border.
The visit of President Emomali Rahmon to Vorukh is taking place against the background of discussions on a statement by Kyrgyz security agency chief Kamchybek Tashiyev regarding Kyrgyzstan’s proposal to exchange Vorukh for a land plot in in Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region.
Recall, the Chairman of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan Kamchybek Tashiyev told reporters in Bishkek on March 26 that Kyrgyzstan proposed to exchange Vorukh enclave for land plots in Leilek and Batken districts.
According to him, negotiations with Tajikistan on delimitation of the state border continue. “We have a disputed moment — Vorukh enclave. We propose to define the border of the enclave so that it does not increase, and we are ready to provide a road bypassing Ak-Sai village. Or exchange the enclave for other land plots in Leilek and Batken districts,” Kamchybek Tashiyev said, according to 24.kg.
It is to be noted that many border areas in Central Asia have been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The situation is particularly complicated near the numerous exclaves in the Ferghana Valley, where the borders of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan meet.
The location of the border of the Vorukh exclave is disputed by the Tajik and Kyrgyz governments
The border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan has been the scene of unrest repeatedly since the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
Border talks between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan began in 2002. The countries share 976 kilometers of border – of which only 504 kilometers has reportedly been properly delineated.
In 2019 alone, there were at least fourteen cases of violence, in which six Tajik nationals and one Kyrgyz citizen were killed and more than 60 other people were injured.
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan renewed interest in border delimitation suggests that the governments want to dedicate more attention and resources to the communities living in the Ferghana Valley.
