Russia notes with satisfaction the positive dynamics in the disputed border situation between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and Moscow speaks in favor of the soonest settlement of the dispute, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said on Tuesday at the 3rd Central Asian Conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club.
"Moscow consistently stands for the soonest and final settlement of the border dispute between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and we note with satisfaction the positive dynamics of this process," he said.
The diplomat added that Russia and the CSTO are "non-alternative guarantors of security" in the Central Asian region, key elements of which are Russian military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
"We continue to work closely with the countries of the region on countering the drug and terrorist threat emanating from the territory of Afghanistan. This is especially valuable for Central Asian countries against the backdrop of religious radicalism trends in the region," Galuzin said.
The state border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is about 980 kilometers long. Negotiations on its delimitation have been going on since December 2002. Failure to resolve this issue has repeatedly led to conflicts involving local residents and soldiers of the two republics, including with the use of firearms.
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Based on materials from TASS