Tashkent and Bishkek ready to ease tensions

Secretaries of the Defense Council of Kyrgyzstan and Security Council of Uzbekistan Temir Dzhumakadyrov and Viktor Mahmudov have met in Tashkent to discuss their deteriorated bilateral relations, the Kyrgyz president’s press office said on April 14.

According to the source, the meeting was initiated by the Uzbek side on sidelines of the 11th meeting of Secretaries of Security Councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).  The sides agreed to foster the cooperation within the SCO and in the bilateral format.

As EADaily reported earlier, on Mar 18 Uzbekistan sent troops and armored vehicles to a disputed section of its border with Kyrgyzstan near Chalasart. In response, Kyrgyzstan closed the checkpoints on the border, except one. The Kyrgyz side demanded that the Uzbeks withdraw their troops, as their military presence there violates the international law.

Uzbekistan explains its increased security measures with Nowruz. Bishkek initiated discussions on the problem at the CSTO. On March 26, the sides agreed that the Uzbek troops would be withdrawn from the disputable part of the border. The border of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan runs 1378km, of which 324km are not delimitated.