A statement released by the Tajik Border Guard Directorate’s Office in the northern Sughd province on October 20 says: “Provocative statements of political and public figures of Kyrgyzstan lead to an increase in tension at the border, loss of confidence and is in contrary to the commitments undertaken by the parties.”
The Tajik Border Guard Directorate’s Office in Sughd draws attention to a statement made by Kyrgyz Defense Minister Baktybek Bekbolotov at a press conference in Bishkek on October 19. His statement is reportedly in contrary to “resolving the issues of defining borders exclusively by diplomatic means.”
At the same time, Bekbolotov stated about acquisition by Kyrgyzstan of the anti-aircraft missile system C-125 “Pechora-2BM” that will be deployed in the Batken region, says the statement.
According to the statement, the deployment of additional air defense systems in the Batken district is a violation of paragraph “e” (f) of Protocol No 42 signed on September 25.
The statement says the statement by Kyrgyz defense minister “goes against the statements of the country's leadership about the Government's commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue, taking into account the good-neighborly relations between the two peoples.”
The Tajik Border Guard Directorate’s Office in Sughd states that provocative statements of political and public figures of Kyrgyzstan lead to an increase in tension at the border, loss of confidence and is in contrary to the commitments undertaken by the parties.”
Recall, Kyrgyz authorities have asked the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to provide a limited contingent of troops at disputed segments of Kyrgyzstan’s common border with Tajikistan, where dozens of people were killed on both sides in clashes last month.
Kyrgyz Defense Minister Baktybek Bekbolotov told reporters in Bishkek on October 19 that he had discussed the issue with the CSTO's Secretary General Stanislav Zas earlier in the month.
“I told him that there will be no peace between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. I'll tell you why. Because the Kyrgyz have their own truth, and the Tajiks have their own truth,” the minister said.
"An independent mediator must stay between us, such as a limited group of CSTO troops, with the goal of maintaining a cease fire and the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the border. If they solve these two issues, then it will be possible to start discuss with them the political goals on the delimitation and demarcation of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. It has not been going on for 30 years, it has been going 98 years,” Bekbolotov added.
Both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, along with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia are member nations of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
Bekbolotov's statement comes two days after Kyrgyz Security Council Secretary Marat Imankulov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to provide Bishkek with archived Soviet-era maps to help solve the ongoing border dispute between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
