Kyrgyzstan’s Ambassador to Tajikistan Erlan Abdyldayev was summoned to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 16. Regarding a statement by Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) chief Kamchibek Tashiyev
A statement by the Tajik MFA noted that during the meeting, the concerns of the Tajik side regarding a statement made by a high-ranking Kyrgyz state official on September 15 on the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border.
It was emphasized that this kind of comments is capable of causing serious damage to the progress of the negotiation process on delimitation and demarcation of the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border as well as to mutual confidence.
At the same time, the Tajik MFA’s statement does not indicate which statement and which Kyrgyz official is being referred to.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan’s media reports said on September 15 that the head of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan, Kamchibek Tashiyev, has called on the authorities of Tajikistan to renounce territorial claims
24.kg reports that Tashiyev noted that the anniversary of the tragedies that occurred in Batken on September 15-16 last year was marked on Friday, September 15.
“Dozens of servicemen and civilians were killed. This was due to unresolved border issues and due to attack of the neighboring country on our state. I am the chairman of the commission on demarcation and delimitation of the state border. Until today, we have tried to resolve the issue peacefully and continue to do so. The head of state directs us to resolve issues through negotiations. But at the same time, it must be said that an act of aggression was actually committed against our state last year. In the future, we will not allow such aggression,” Tashiyev was quoted as saying.
According to him, previously the neighboring republic made territorial claims against Kyrgyzstan.
“We replied that there should be no claims. We recently found new documents. Thanks to them we know that many Kyrgyz lands were transferred to Tajikistan. We can substantiate this with historical and legal documents,” said Tashiyev. “If the neighboring country does not give up its territorial claims, then we will also make them. We have enough strength and capabilities for this. We have the opportunity to return the lands that were transferred to the Republic of Tajikistan tens, or even hundreds of years ago.”
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have not yet resolved the border delineation problem. 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 Fergana Valley, where the borders of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan meet.
The border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan 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 972 kilometers of border – of which only 664 kilometers have been properly delineated, leading to tensions for the past 30 years.
To-date, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have reportedly held more than 170 meetings and negotiations on delimitation and demarcation of the common border.
