In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Orif Khojazoda, Chairman of the State Committee on Land Management and Geodesy, on July 20 addressed border issues with Tajikistan’s neighbors.
Concerning Tajikistan’s common border with Kyrgyzstan, he noted that border talks are going on. “Over the first six months of this year, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have held three meetings on delimitation and demarcations of the disputed segments of the mutual border,” Khojazoda said.
“To-date, 519.9 kilometers of our common border with Kyrgyzstan have been delineated. The work on resolving all issues regarding delimitation and demarcation of the disputed segments of the border will continue,” Tajik official noted.
Khojazoda, who is also one of co-chairmen of the topographic commission, further added that they take into consideration interests of both sides.
Different sources give different figures for the length of the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border. According to some sources, a total length of the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan is about 987.6 kilometers, while other sources say it is 970 kilometers in length.
Khojazoda noted that it is impossible to give an exact figure until the border is completely delimited and demarcated.
According to data of Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry, the process of delimitation and demarcation of the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border is implemented on the basis of the tripartite agreement between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China on the junction point of the borders of the three countries of July 5, 2000 and the government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan of May 6, 1998 on border crossing points along the mutual border.
Today, five border crossing points (BCPs) operates along the Tajik-Kyrgyz border: Guliston (Isfara, Sughd province); Ovchiqalacha (Bobojon-Ghafourov district, Sughd province), Madaniyat (Jabbor-Rasoulov district, Sughd province); Qaramiq (Lakhsh district, Rasht Valley); and Qizil-Art (Murgab district in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region – GBAO).
As far as Tajikistan’s common border with Uzbekistan is concerned, Khojazoda noted that delineation of the disputed segments of the Tajik-Uzbek borders is nearing completion. It remains to delineate only 12 kilometers of the border.
A total length of Tajikistan’s common border with Uzbekistan is 1,332 kilometers, and to-date, the sides have delimited and demarcated 1,320 kilometers of it. Seventeen BCPs now operate along the Tajikistan-Uzbekistan border.
According to Khojazoda, Tajikistan now has no any border problems with China. The issues of delimitation and demarcation of the border have reportedly found their full solution.
A total length of Tajikistan’s common border with China is 494.4 kilometers. Kulma BCP is the only overland BCP along the border between Tajikistan’s GBAO and China’s XUAR
Recall, Tajikistan and China have settled a century-old border dispute, after Tajikistan agreed to cede land to China. In January 2011, Tajikistan ratified a 1999 deal handing over 1,000 square kilometers of land in GBAO’s Murgab district to China.
This reportedly represented 5.5% of the land that Beijing had sought. China said the move thoroughly resolved the border dispute.
A total length of Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan is 1,374.2 kilometers and 1,184.4 kilometers of the border run along a river.
Although, the issues of delimitation and demarcation of the border have found their full solution, the boundary line along the Panj River occasionally requires re-demarking due to a change in the course of the river.
According to Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry, the border issues with Afghanistan are regulated on the basis of the agreements between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan of June 13, 1946 and June 16, 1981 and the government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Afghanistan on the mutual border of December 22, 1993 and amendments made to it on October 21, 2013.
Seven international BCPs now operate along Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan. After the Taliban returned to power in this country, the BCPs remain closed. Transportation of goods is carried out only through the Panji Poyon – Sherkhan Bandar BCP.
