Meeting of government delegations of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in Batken

In the city of Batken, Kyrgyzstan, another meeting of working groups on the delimitation of the Tajik-Kyrgyz state border has concluded.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, in accordance with the schedule of meetings for 2023, from July 3 to July 9, 2023, another meeting of the topographic working groups of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic on the delimitation and demarcation of the Tajik-Kyrgyz state border took place in the city of Batken.

It is reported that the next meeting of the working groups is scheduled to take place on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan.

It is unknown what decisions were made by the government delegations of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan only reports that “following the meeting, a corresponding protocol was signed.” According to the foreign ministry of Tajikistan, “the meeting took place in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding.”

The Tajik side does not provide details about the negotiations. However, at previous meetings, the parties also emphasized that “the meeting took place in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding,” confirming “the importance of maintaining the ties of friendship and good neighborliness between the two countries,” although in some cases, after these negotiations, clashes occurred between residents of border areas.

The length of the state border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is approximately 980 km. Currently, 602.5 km of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border has been delimited and demarcated. The remaining sections are considered disputed. Over the past two years, several clashes have occurred due to disputed sections of the border, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people.