Kyrgyz President Sadyr raised the issue of border disputes of Kyrgyzstan with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan at a summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) that took place in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on November 11.
In a statement delivered at the summit, Japarov noted that Kyrgyzstan has problems of delimitation of disputed segments of common border only with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
“I emphasize once again that the Kyrgyz side defends its position on the border dispute through peaceful political and diplomatic dialogue,” Kyrgyz president said, according to Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi.
In conclusion, Japarov reported expressed hope for close collaboration with neighboring countries on resolving border disputes.
It is to be noted that that the issue of delineation of the disputed segments of Kyrgyzstan’s common border with Tajikistan is also reflected in a joint declaration adopted the OTS summit participants.
Declaration, in particular says, “The heads of state express support to the efforts of the Kyrgyz Republic to find a peaceful solution to the situation at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border in line with the fundamental principles of international law, reiterate the importance of resolving disputes exclusively by political and diplomatic means; in this context they express the readiness of the Member States to assist in the efforts of Kyrgyzstan for development and reconstruction of infrastructure in the Kyrgyz Republic.”
Many border areas in Central Asia have been disputed since the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991. The situation is particularly complicated near the numerous exclaves in the volatile Ferghana Valley, where the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan meet.
In the latest border clashes between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan that occurred on September 14-17, both sides reportedly lost over 100 people both military population and ordinary citizens. During fierce armed confrontations, a lot of schools, mosques were destroyed in addition to the houses of civilians; administrative buildings were also attacked by fire.
According to border residents, the conflict erupted on September 14 between the Tajik and Kyrgyz border guards and subsided and flared up intermittently for three days.
The latest armed confrontation was the worst since April 2021, when over 50 citizens of both nations died during the armed hostilities.
