Uzbekistan: Tashkent Closes Border Crossing with Kyrgyzstan

The second largest border crossing between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan is now closed to everyone but residents of the immediate vicinity.

The Kara-Suu-Avtodorozhnyy border crossing near Osh, Kyrgyzstan's southern capital, was shut "by the Uzbek side for international passes, for trucks and other people," a spokesman for Kyrgyz Border Service told EurasiaNet on March 1.

"Uzbekistan explained the decision saying there will construction and renovation of infrastructure in that area and the checkpoint will be closed temporarily, but they didn't give a timeframe," the spokesman added.

The border crossing is the main point of entry for wholesale goods from China entering Uzbekistan. The crossing is also near Khanabad, the scene of a terrorist attack on Uzbek police forces in May 2009.