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Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan resume talks on border dispute

Tajikistan’s authorities demand Kyrgyzstan should remove border checkpoint Tamdyk which is located in Kyrgyzstan’s south-western Batken region
 A Kyrgyz border guard (archive) EPA/YURI KOCHETKOV
A Kyrgyz border guard (archive)
© EPA/YURI KOCHETKOV

DUSHANBE, July 11. /ITAR-TASS/. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have resumed talks on the border dispute, Tajikistan’s State National Security Committee says.

Tajik and Kyrgyz vice-premiers, Murodali Alimardon and Abdyrakhman Mamataliyev, discussed an armed conflict in the border village of Bedak. The incident occurred on July 10. As a result of the conflict, one Tajik citizen died and nine people were injured. Casualties were also reported from Kyrgyzstan's side.

Commenting on the closure of Kyrgyzstan’s border checkpoint of Tamdyk, a Tajik law enforcer said, “The parties agreed on this issue earlier, but it is still on the agenda for unknown reasons.”

Tajikistan’s authorities demand Kyrgyzstan should remove border checkpoint Tamdyk which is located in Kyrgyzstan’s south-western Batken region, public relations department of Kyrgyz Border Guard Service told ITAR-TASS.

“At Thursday's talks between the chiefs of the border services of the two countries, Tajikistan demanded to remove Kyrgyz border checkpoint Tamdyk and withdraw our border guards from there,” the public relations department said. “Otherwise, around 30 Tajik citizens are ready to attack this border checkpoint, and Tajik authorities will not bear responsibility for their actions,” the department added.

On Thursday, Kyrgyz border guards clashed with border guards from the neighboring republic. As a result, one person was killed and six others were wounded near Tamdyk. Bishkek shouldered responsibility for this incident on Tajik citizens who started hurling stones at Kyrgyz servicemen. This incident stirred up an armed clash.

Chief of Kyrgyz Border Service Rayimberdi Duishenbiev refused strongly to fulfil this demand and remove the border-crossing point, Kyrgyz border officials said. Meanwhile, he insisted that Tajikistan “should do explanatory work with local residents of border districts and avert illegal actions". “The situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik section of the state border remains tense, Ak-Sai-Vorukh road remains closed,” the public relations department noted.