Actions of Kyrgyz authorities aggravate situation in Sokh enclave, the press-service of Uzbekistan's Committee for State Border Protection of National Security Service reports.
"The press-service of the Committee for State Border Protection of National Security Service of Republic of Uzbekistan reported that the situation at the state border with Kyrgyzstan within Sokh area tends to worsen as a result of the ongoing attempts by individual representatives of the authorities of Batken region of Kyrgyzstan on artificial aggravation of the situation," emphasized in the department, 24.kg reported.
The press-service reports that September 22, 2010 commanders of border agencies reached a protocol agreement on the resumption of the simplified border crossing at Devairam border checkpoint in Sokh area, Uzbekistan, at Gazprom border checkpoint, Batken district of Batken province, Kyrgyzstan, during the meeting. In accordance with the agreement, Devairam border checkpoint operated in a consistent mode since September 23, 2010.
"But Gazprom Kyrgyz border checkpoint was closed unilaterally since May 1, 2011. It hadn't been opened in spite of numerous appeals made by the Uzbek side during three months. Therefore the Uzbek side had to shut Devairam border checkpoint since August 1," informs the press-service.
"Forced measures due to nonobservance of the bilateral agreement by the Kyrgyz side were negatively met by inhabitants of Apkan and Boz-Adyr settlements, Batken province of Kyrgyzstan; they organized provocative actions to block Rishtan-Sokh transit road. During the meeting on resolving this situation, the elders and residents of Batken province spoke with an understanding of the situation and disapproval of actions on the artificial whipping up the situation; they also expressed readiness to make every possible effort to stop protest actions of their citizens," notes the press-service.
"Authorities of Batken province, major inciter and organizer of mentioned above actions, continue provoking inhabitants living in frontier zone to make wrongful actions to destabilize situation at the border in Sokh area against measures taken by authorities of Uzbekistan to prevent adequate response of residents living in Sokh district."
"In this regard, the Committee for State Border Protection of the National Security Service of Uzbekistan calls on the Kyrgyz side to refrain from taking unilateral decisions on matters within the competence of the Intergovernmental Commission, to take steps to resolve the situation on a specified section of the state border and to stop provocative actions made by ambitious officials whose interests are far from interests of our peoples and to ensure execution of contract obligations in terms of reopening of Gazprom border checkpoint," stated in the department.
Kyrgyzstan's Frontier Forces under the State National Security Committee hasn't commented on statement of their counterparts from Uzbekistan.