KYRGYZSTAN AND TAJIKISTAN: THE ROOTS OF BORDER CONFLICTS AND WAYS TO RESOLVE THEM

Abstract

The most pressing issue in interstate relations, the current reality of the Central Asian region, remains border conflicts, territorial claims and problems of enclaves between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The length of the borders between the two states is 974 km., Slightly more than half of the border sections have been described and agreements have been reached. However, about 40% of the border areas are still not delimited or demarcated. Therefore, this article examines the problems of demarcation and demilitarization of borders, enclaves, especially Tajik ones on the territory of Kyrgyzstan, and related border conflicts between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan. These relations have become especially aggravated in the last 2021 and 2022, when the most real armed aggression from the Republic of Tajikistan took place on the border. These are armed border conflicts that have claimed hundreds of lives of both border guards and other law enforcement officials, as well as civilians, including children. Border conflicts have caused enormous damage to both countries, especially the Kyrgyz side. Over the past two years alone, more than 30 villages, villages and settlements have been burned, destroyed and looted by the Tajik side, hundreds of thousands of residents have been evacuated to safe areas, many losses in real estate and livestock of civilians, these conflicts have caused multimillion-dollar losses. The article also analyzes all border conflicts, starting from the Soviet era, the period of sovereignty and independence, especially over the past 10 years. An attempt was made to analyze the summits on solving border problems, and it was also emphasized which normative acts of International humanitarian law the Republic of Tajikistan violated. Possible ways of solving border and territorial problems between two states of the same region are outlined.