Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Sapar Isakov met on 11 April with the chairman of the State Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic Ularbek Sharsheyev.

Ularbek Sharsheyev briefed the Kyrgyz Prime Minister about results of his meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the Service-Commander of the Border Guards of the State Security Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Major-General Ruslan Mirzayev, to discuss the incident on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek section of the state border near Mamai town of Kerben, Aksy District, Jalal-Abad Oblast, which occurred on 7 April 2018.

It should be recalled that as a result of the use of weapons by the border guards of Uzbekistan, a citizen of the Kyrgyz Republic, F.M., born in 1984, was mortally wounded.

Ularbek Sharsheev said that in order to implement the agreement of the Prime Ministers of the two countries, on 9 April 2018, a meeting was held with the head of the Uzbek border department in the settlement of Zarkent in Namangan region (Uzbekistan).

Also, the border delegations of the two countries, together with the heads of state administrations and representatives of law enforcement agencies of the border regions, inspected the site of the incident in the village of Mamai (Kyrgyzstan).

As a result of the meeting, a joint working group of representatives of the border agencies of the two countries, as well as heads of district administrations, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and registration (cadastral) services of border territories was established to conduct comprehensive and objective investigation of the incident.

According to Ularbek Sharsheev, the Uzbek side expressed readiness for close cooperation at the level of the heads of border agencies, as well as for an objective investigation of two incidents that occurred since the beginning of 2018. An agreement was reached to consider the emerging problem issues on joint sections of the state border in the spirit of good-neighborly and friendly relations.

In addition, during the meeting, heads of departments set specific tasks for the personnel specifically to prohibit the use of firearms against peaceful citizens of the Parties, except in cases of threat to life and health of servicemen provided for by the legislation of the two countries.

The sides also agreed to hold a joint expanded meeting of border agencies in the third decade of April, where they plan to discuss border cooperation issues, including joint exercises with the heads of the border units, preventive measures with the population of the Parties, clarification of the joint patrolling schedule, and approval of the new edition of the Border Guards Line on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border.