Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan agree on ceasefire

The foreign ministers of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan agreed on a ceasefire in the border area from 20:00 local time on April 29, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said this on Thursday, Report informs, citing TASS.

"As a result of several negotiations between the foreign ministers (Ruslan Kazakbaev and Sirojiddin Mukhriddin), agreements have been reached on a complete ceasefire from 20:00 and the withdrawal of military forces to the places of their former deployment," the message says.

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan also decided to jointly patrol and monitor the situation in the border zone, where the conflict occurred on Thursday.

According to the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry, the ministers stressed the need to resolve the conflict situation, "which led to casualties and injuries from both the Kyrgyz and Tajik sides, peacefully through political and diplomatic negotiations."

"Kazakbaev noted that the Kyrgyz side does not claim foreign territories and does not intend to share its land with anyone. In this context, he emphasized that all border and economic issues should be resolved at the negotiating table with the participation of high representatives within the framework of government delegations on delimitation and demarcation of the Kyrgyz-Tajik state border," the ministry said.

"Kazakbaev and Mukhriddin called on both sides not to succumb to the provocations of certain destructive forces," the Foreign Ministry said.