The co-chairman of the Tajik-Kyrgyz commission for delimitation and demarcation of the disputed segments of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border – Head of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan (SCNS) Saimumin Yatimov and his Kyrgyz counterpart Kamchybek Tashiyev — met in Batken, Kyrgyzstan on December 12.
Kyrgyz media reports say they discussed the outcomes of work of the topographic and legal working groups in 2023 and gave tasks to ramp up work on completion of delineation of the mutual border.
Following the meeting, they reportedly made a statement for the press.
AKIpress reports that Saimumin Yatimov said vital issues were discussed. “We underlined once again and realized that the two countries have common interests, common goals. Therefore, we have common affairs as well. The logical conclusion is in the interest of our peoples. This is safety and socio-economic development of our states.”
Turmush cited him as saying, “Quite a lot of work has been done today. We have progressed on more than 120 km, we reached important agreements on those issues. More than 90% of the common border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been defined. We are nearing resolution of these issues.”
According to Yatimov, the commission treats the main issues exclusively responsibly, “its members carry out exactly the instructions of the heads of state.”
Kamchybek Tashiyev also confirmed that the parties agreed upon more than 90 percent of the border. “I think agreements will be signed on the defined segments of the border soon. We have several border sections left on which we plan to finish work in the near time. These border segments extend from Kairagach, Kulundu, Maksat, Arka, Arka-1, Arka-2, Jany-Jer to Jiydelik. The working group has finished approval process. Besides, we reached agreements on Kara-Bak, Lakkon (village in Isfara district of Tajikistan’s Sughd province). Thus, we have almost finished work on disputed segments border of the border,” Tashiyev was cited as saying.
“There are still a few meetings left to complete demarcation and delimitation of the state border,” Yatimov noted.
Recall, Kyrgyz President on December 11 noted the issues of demarcation of the disputed stretches of Kyrgyzstan’s common border with Tajikistan are planned to be resolved by spring next year.
On December 1, Saimumin Yatimov met with Kamchybek Tashiyev in the Tajik city of Buston for talks that reportedly produced “key decisions” on how to resolve differences over the border.
In remarks to journalists following negotiations, Tashiyev spoke in vague generalities, although he ventured that “we are very close to settling all matters.”
Yatimov was reportedly more discursive. He said that a breakthrough solution had been agreed on how to manage use of the Vorukh-Khojai A'lo road, which crosses Kyrgyz territory and links the mainland of Tajikistan to the densely populated Tajik enclave of Vorukh.
The two Central Asian nations have been meeting for months in an effort to resolve border disputes that have led to deadly clashes between them in recent years.
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 and unresolved border issues have led 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.
