TODAY.AZ / World news

Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan open border after conflict settlement

19 September 2016 [16:35] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews


By Gunay Hasanova

The border conflict in the Ungar-Too Mountain was resolved peaceably through negotiations.

Checkpoint on the state border between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan resumed the transit of the citizens of two countries after the settlement of the border dispute in the area of Ungar-Too Mountain on September 19, RIA Novosti reported.

The incident broke put after landing of Mi-8 helicopter carrying seven Uzbek policemen on Ungar-Too on August 22.

Kyrgyzstan’s border service reported on August 24 that Uzbekistan deployed a group of police officers to the disputed Ungar-Too Mountain, site of a Kyrgyz-run television relay station, and took four employees into custody who were released only after three weeks.

In turn, the Uzbek side said that four Kyrgyz citizens working at relay station were taken to Yangikurgan police department in Uzbekistan for procedural measures and there is no cause for concern about the detained Kyrgyz citizens.

However, the incident creates tensions on the border between the countries.

The mountain and surrounding areas were objects of a testy standoff in March that culminated with Uzbekistan deploying several armored personnel carriers.

Hence, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan closed all checkpoints on the joint state border. The Uzbek side demanded to remove the Kyrgyz police checkpoints around Ortho-Tokoy reservoir.

The reservoir is located on the territory of Kyrgyzstan. However, since the period of Soviet Union, it is in the actual use of Uzbekistan. This year the Kyrgyz government decided to transfer the Ortho-Tokoy reservoir to the balance of the country.

On September 19 the checkpoints on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek state border have started to function in their normal routine, said the State Border Service of Kyrgyzstan.

The press-service of the Kyrgyzstan’s President reported that the acting President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held telephone talks with the head of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev on September 17. Afterwards, Uzbekistan withdrew its forces from Ungar-Too.

The total land area of Ungar-Too (in Kyrgyz writings Unkur-Too) is 45 hectares. In 2013 Uzbekistan tried to install its border post on Ungar-Too, which led to the border conflict.

Short after the parties came to a peaceful solution and the radio station “Kerben” continued its work.

After the collapse of USSR, nearly a quarter of the entire Kyrgyz-Uzbek borderline remained non-delimited, causing permanent conflict along the border.  

Over the past three years, there have been several armed incidents. After Kyrgyzstan's accession to the EAEC in 2015, the state border of the Republic became the southern border of integration association.

Initiating dialogue on how best to share resources and jointly police complicated and high-altitude frontier areas would be the most rational and constructive solution, but neither of the governments involved has shown itself to be in possession of a surfeit of good sense.



URL: http://www.today.az/news/regions/154314.html

Print version

Views: 1329

Connect with us. Get latest news and updates.

Recommend news to friend

  • Your name:
  • Your e-mail:
  • Friend's name:
  • Friend's e-mail: