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Chances for resolving Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border conflict are good - expert

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will work on resolving the aggravated situation on the disputed section of the border, President of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov told TASS

MOSCOW, May 1. /TASS/. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will work on resolving the aggravated situation on the disputed section of the border, which will help avoid development of the conflict, President of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov told TASS.

"If we talk about the chances of a settlement, it seems to me that they are still quite significant, since the leaderships of both countries are not interested in escalation. This is not the case when one party can count on some kind of victory," the analyst said.

"It is unlikely that this conflict will be resolved unequivocally. It is unlikely that someone admits that they are wrong and are ready to retreat. But de facto, probably, both sides will do some work to prevent further development of the conflict," Kortunov added.

In turn, Valdai Club expert, research fellow at the Center for Central Asia and Caucasus Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences Stanislav Pritchin told TASS that there are currently no prerequisites for escalation and long-term confrontation on the disputed section of the border. However, in his opinion, a quick settlement of the border issue should not be expected.

The situation on the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan near the Golovnoy water intake facility escalated on April 28, after clashes had sparked between residents of the two countries’border areas. On April 29, armed skirmishes between Kyrgyz and Tajik servicemen broke out. Kyrgyzstan accused Tajikistan of using mortars, machine guns and Mi-24 military helicopters. On the evening of April 29, the sides agreed to a ceasefire and the pullout of troops, however, hostilities continued periodically in certain locations until May 1. On Saturday, at a meeting of representatives of the governments of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the parties agreed to return military equipment to the places of permanent deployment.

According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health, as a result of the conflict on the border with Tajikistan, 34 residents of Kyrgyzstan were killed, about 140 were injured.