The government delegations of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have fully completed the description of the remaining disputable stretches of the shared border, the state-run news agency Khovar reports, citing the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of Tajikistan.
Chiefs of the State Committees for National Security of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Saimumin Yatimov and Kamchybek Tashiyev, who are cochairmen of the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan joint commission for border delimitation and demarcation issues, reportedly met in the Kyrgyz city of Batken on December 4 to discuss delimitation and demarcation of the shared border’s disputable stretches.
Details of the negotiations were not disclosed.
The issue of delimitation of the border with Tajikistan has been resolved, Kaktus Media reported on Wednesday, citing Kyrgyz chief security officer.
During the meeting, the heads of the delegations reportedly reached an agreement and fully completed the description of the remaining stretches of the state border.
The working groups were tasked with beginning the process of finalizing the official documents for the delimitation of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.
“Then, there will be ratification in the parliament and the signatures of our respected presidents. A few months and we will finish the borders. Many thanks to all members of the commission, much has been done. I am grateful to everyone, especially to Mr. Yatimov,” Tashiyev was cited as saying.
This event was awaited by the citizens of both neighboring countries for over 20 years.
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 987 kilometers of border and unresolved border issues have led to tensions for the past 30 years.
Tensions between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have remained high until recently, owing to a border dispute, as well as other issues involving irrigation, smuggling, and illegal border crossings.
This dispute has led to clashes between the two countries. Kyrgyzstan unilaterally closed the border with Tajikistan in spring 2021 after an armed conflict along a disputed segment of the border left 36 Kyrgyz nationals, including two children.
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.
When the border closed, official trade turnover plummeted to nothing. Smugglers continued to ply their wares across the border, however.
