Dushanbe not intending to build highways near Tajik-Kyrgyz border until delimitation issues resolved
DUSHANBE. July 21 (Interfax) - Tajikistan will not build any highways along territories in dispute on the Tajik-Kyrgyz border until border delimitation and demarcation is completed, Tajik Transport Minister Khayrullo Asoev told reporters on Monday.
The start of highway construction has caused a number of violent outbursts at the border area between the two countries.
"A total of 51% of the border has already been defined and 49% in the Sughd Province [in northern Tajikistan] via settlements are left," Asoev said during a news conference.
"People demand a highway, so we have agreed with Kyrgyzstan that after the border is marked, we will build highways jointly in border territories. But no earlier," the Tajik minister said.
The Tajik and Kyrgyz authorities are trying to resolve issues on border delimitation and demarcation, most sections remain in dispute, as well as issues of laying highways and pasture and water belonging in border regions, where locals residents often have conflicts over these problems.
Conflicts at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border section, where a Tajik enclave is located, escalated after January shooting. Two Tajik and five Kyrgyz border guards were injured in the border shooting on January 11, 2014. Official services of the two countries laid responsibility for the incident on each other. Following the incident checkpoints at the joint 970-km border were closed for several months for people and cargo in both directions.
"We hope that these issues will be resolved at the political level. As a transport minister I can tell you that we will resolve the issue of highway construction, if political disagreements are eliminated and border is defined," Asoev said.
On July 10 a Tajik citizen died and seven more were injured, including a Tajik border guard, at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border near the Tajik city of Isfara, which is 410 km northeast of Dushanbe.
The Tajik Foreign Minister has issued an official statement laying responsibility for the incident on Kyrgyz border guards, who, the ministry claims, entered the enclave territory and opened fire at local residents after a heated argument with them. At that, Tajik border guards, who arrived to scene, did not open fire, the Tajik Foreign Ministry said.
The current situation at the border is calm for now.
