Kyrgyzstan hopes for Russia's mediation in border delimitation with Tajikistan

BISHKEK. Oct 17 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan has asked Russia for assistance in delimitating the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, Kyrgyz Security Council Secretary Marat Imankulov said.

"The border problem arose because delimitation and demarcation issues were not solved once. Our president has asked [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to intervene. I think a positive decision will be made after negotiations. Russia is the legal successor of the USSR, there are archive documents and maps in Moscow," Imankulov said in an interview with Kyrgyzstan's Birinchi Radio (First Radio) on Monday.

The presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan "had an open talk" during the trilateral meeting in Astana on October 13, he said.

Kyrgyzstan is not considering leaving the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Imankulov said. "Kyrgyzstan is not considering leaving the CSTO, the country needs this organization, we need it above all," Imankulov said.

The cancellation of the CSTO Unbreakable Brotherhood 2022 exercise in Kyrgyzstan was due to the situation on the border, he said. "The Tajik Armed Forces were expected to participate in that exercise, and therefore it is now dangerous to hold an exercise as the situation is still tense," he said.

According to earlier reports, the Kyrgyz side cancelled the Unbreakable Brotherhood 2022 command post exercise of the CSTO peacekeeping forces, which was planned to take place on the territory of the country on October 10-14.

In addition, Kyrgyz troops are not participating in the CSTO Rubezh 2022 joint exercise held in Tajikistan on October 10-21.

The CSTO comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.