MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th April, 2022) Tajikistan wants to discuss the demarcation of border with Kyrgyzstan as soon as possible, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon said on Sunday, on the heels of a new armed clash between border troops of both countries earlier this week.
"The government of Tajikistan is interested in holding talks on demarcation of the state border between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic as soon as possible," Rahmon said during a visit to the border town of Isfara, as quoted in a press release by his office.
The Tajik president admitted that the issue is "very complicated" and demarcation will likely take much time and effort, but stressed that Dushanbe "staunchly believes in diplomacy as a way to resolve the current differences" with Bishkek.
"The Tajik side has been negotiating with the Kyrgyz Republic since 2002 within the framework of the intergovernmental commission on delimitation and demarcation of the state border between the two countries," Rahmon stated, adding that there have been a total of over 170 meetings on the matter and that 68.4% of the border line has already been approved.
The border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has long been a zone of inter-state conflict. Clashes involving local residents and border guards regularly take place in areas lacking a mutually accepted line of border.
The latest clash took place this past Tuesday, as Kyrgyz guards accused their Tajik counterparts of violating the border. Authorities in both countries immediately initiated negotiations, which resulted in a temporary halt to cross-border shooting. The shooting resumed soon and lasted half an hour, with the Tajik military firing mortars at the Kyrgyz village of Dostuk. Kyrgyzstan has reported six people injured by the clash.
