Turkic body urges de-escalation of Kyrgyz-Tajik tension

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkic Council on Friday encouraged Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to take joint measures to stabilize tensions that erupted along the border.

“The Turkic Council calls on the parties to continue exercising caution and take joint measures to stabilize the situation by refraining from any actions that may lead to further escalation of tension; and especially notes the contribution of the Kyrgyz side to the re-establishment of peace,” Secretary-General Baghdad Amreyev said in a statement.

It said existing problems need to be resolved only through diplomatic negotiations and amicable consultations which will fit into the spirit of good-neighborly relations between the two countries.

“While extending our condolences to the families of the victims and wishing prompt recovery for the wounded ones, we express our contentment for the negotiations of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the parties and for the swift introduction of a cease-fire between the sides which opened up the course of de-escalation,” it added.

The Council will continue holding close contact with Kyrgyzstan, the founding member of the Turkic Council, on the subject matter, it said.

- What happened?

Two days of clashes that started Wednesday between the two neighboring Central Asian states were centered on control of the local water distribution network, Kyrgyzstan media reported on Thursday.

Surveillance equipment was installed by Tajik officials at the Golovnoi water distribution center, which Kyrgyzstan says is located in an area where sovereignty is yet to be defined, according to the Radio Free Europe website.

Clashes broke out with the intervention of the border troops of the two countries, and soldiers were sent to the region with armored vehicles from both sides.

Tensions about control of the water supply continued Thursday, however, with residents throwing stones at each other.

At least 39 people were killed -- including a 13-year-old girl -- and 134 wounded in two-day clashes along a disputed segment of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, according to the Kyrgyz Health Ministry.