UN secretary-general hopes for peaceful settlement of border disputes between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed hope on Tuesday that the Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will resolve their border disputes peacefully.

During a meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Bishkek, Guterres praised Kyrgyzstan's positive experience in resolving territorial disputes with neighboring states, noting last year's successful border delimitation with Uzbekistan.

"I am confident that the border issue with Tajikistan will be resolved diplomatically, peacefully, and through negotiations," Guterres stated, emphasizing the complexity of border delimitation in the Ferghana Valley, where borders are interwoven "like a puzzle."

The state border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan spans approximately 980 kilometers (608.9 miles). Negotiations on defining and mapping the border have been ongoing since December 2002.

Currently, over 90% of the borderline is settled and mutually recognized, with the remaining sections considered disputed.

This unresolved issue has led to multiple conflicts involving local residents and military personnel from both republics, including incidents involving firearms. Since 2014, there have been more than 10 serious conflicts along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

Kyrgyzstan shares borders with China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, with only the Tajikistan border remaining unsettled in terms of delimitation and demarcation.

During the meeting, Japarov presented Guterres with a certificate naming a mountain peak in the Sary-Jazz area after the United Nations.