Chashma spring officially transferred to Kyrgyzstan’s balance – Tashiyev

The Chashma spring, a long-disputed area between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, has been officially and fully transferred to the balance of the Kyrgyz Republic. This was announced on May 26 by Kamchibek Tashiyev, Chairman of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security, during a meeting with residents in Aydarken, Kadamjoy district of the Batken region.

Tashiyev emphasized that, despite the formal transfer, the water resources of the spring will continue to be used jointly by both countries, as before. Residents were also provided with detailed explanations regarding the process of border delimitation and land exchange.

However, as of now, no official statement has been released by the Uzbek side regarding this decision.

It is worth recalling that on May 31, 2020, violent clashes erupted along the banks of the Chashma spring, located in the village of Chashma in Uzbekistan’s Sokh district, which borders the Chechme village of Kyrgyzstan’s Kadamjoy district. The conflict stemmed from a dispute between citizens of both countries over access to the spring’s water.

During the unrest, local authorities and law enforcement officials who arrived at the scene in Chashma village were met with resistance by the rioters and sustained various degrees of injuries.

The criminal proceedings related to the “Sokh events” were conducted under the principles of openness and transparency. The trial involved 22 defendants, 36 victims, and 21 witnesses.

Following the incident, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov visited the Sokh district and met with Kyrgyzstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov in the Batken region to de-escalate the situation.

On April 24, a joint meeting took place in Tashkent regarding the delimitation and demarcation of the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan state border. The meeting was chaired by Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Kamchibek Tashiyev. During the talks, it was agreed that the Chashma spring, which had previously sparked tensions between the citizens of both nations, would henceforth be used jointly by Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.