Tajik president stresses resolving border demarcation issue with top Kyrgyz diplomat

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on Monday stressed the importance of continuing efforts to "comprehensively" resolve border issues during a meeting with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe.

Following the Rahmon and Kulubaev meeting, the Tajik presidency issued a statement stating that the focus of the talks was on implementing agreements reached between the presidents of both countries to promote bilateral ties, as well as demarcating the Tajik-Kyrgyz border.

The two leaders discussed recent border-related results, the statement said, referring to the demarcation of approximately 196 kilometers (121.7 miles) of their border in the last four months. In general, almost 90% of the border has been defined, it added.

"Issues of joint use of water resources of transboundary rivers, expansion of trade, economic, parliamentary, and other relations between the two countries were also discussed," it said, adding that certain regional and international issues were also touched up during the meeting.

Kulubaev arrived in the Tajik capital on Sunday on an official visit, during which he also held talks with his counterpart Sirojiddin Muhriddin.

Tensions between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan remained high until recently, owing to a border dispute, as well as other issues involving irrigation, smuggling, and illegal border crossings.

This dispute has led to clashes between the two countries, the latest of which broke out at a disputed section of their border in the Batken region on Sept. 14, 2022.