Russia calls on Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan to resolve controversies solely by peaceful diplomatic means

LUHANSK. Jan 28 (Interfax) - Russia is calling on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to resolve disputes by diplomatic means and is welcoming the ceasefire agreements achieved by the two countries, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"We are concerned over the information about the armed incident that took place on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border in the evening of January 27. We are supporting the address of Collective Security Treaty Organization Secretary Stanislav Zas that is calling for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to decide controversies solely in a peaceful diplomatic manner," Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry Information and Press Department Alexei Zaitsev said in a statement on the ministry's website on Friday.

"We are welcoming the agreements between the Kyrgyz and Tajik sides on ceasefire, on the withdrawal of armed forces from the border and on jointly patrolling this section [of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border]," Zaitsev said.

The Kyrgyz border service said on Thursday that the situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border had escalated because of the Batken - Isfana road being blocked. After a meeting between representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on the border, the relevant sections of the road was reopened. But shortly after, units of Kyrgyz and Tajik border guards engaged in an exchange of fire.

According to the Kyrgyz Health Ministry, seven people were injured in the shooting. The Kyrgyz Emergency Situations Ministry said that almost 1,500 people had been evacuated from areas close to the border with Tajikistan. The Tajik side also reported casualties among the military and civilians.

The Kyrgyz border service said late on Friday that Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan had agreed on a comprehensive ceasefire and a withdrawal of the troops earlier pulled closer to the border to their places of permanent deployment.

The sides also agreed to reopen traffic along the Batken - Isfana road in Kyrgyzstan and to jointly patrol border areas to prevent conflicts. Kyrgyz and Tajik law enforces will be patrolling the areas together.