From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Nov 29 2000 - 09:29:57 EST
Kyrgyz MP condemns mining of border areas by Uzbekistan
Text of report by Kyrgyz radio on 27th November
[Presenter] The situation on the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border in [southern Kyrgyz]
Batken Region was the subject of a regular news conference in the Kyrgyz
parliament's Legislative Assembly [upper house] today [27th November]. Here
is a report by our correspondent, Marat Tokoyev.
[Correspondent] A deputy of the chamber, Tashbolot Baltabayev, spoke to
journalists about this. In his speech, emphasis was laid mainly on the
situation regarding Uzbekistan mining the approaches to its enclave Sokh,
which are on Kyrgyz territory.
[Baltabayev] Four head of livestock have been blown up by mines on the
Uzbek-Kyrgyz border since September 2000. The border has not been delimited
or demarcated yet.
[Presenter] Fortunately, there have been no casualties among people yet.
However, no one knows how long this good luck will hold because, according
to Tashbolot Baltabayev, there are not even border signs there.
Uzbekistan, in particular, the head of the Fergana Regional state
administration, on the contrary, has accused Kyrgyzstan. The Fergana Region
governor said that mines had been planted in Uzbek territory only, which,
according to Baltabayev, is not true, to put it mildly. According to
Baltabayev and to our border guards, the claim that Kyrgyzstan has been
given a map of minefields around Sokh is a lie. It was said at the news
conference that the root of all this misunderstanding was in the fact that
the border between the two states had not been delimited or demarcated yet.
According to representatives of the Foreign Ministry, this issue is being
dealt with at the moment, but it is not yet clear when it will be resolved.
The situation in the republic's south is alarming and we do not want
relations between the two states to be spoilt, which, undoubtedly, would
play into the hands of international terrorists.
Source: Kyrgyz Radio first programme, Bishkek, in Russian 1400 gmt 27 Nov 00
BBC Mon CAU Casia mk/ak/lb
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