By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-03-25 11:32:00 | Updated at 2025-03-28 02:25:15
2 days ago
Kyrgyz and Tajik lawmakers have agreed to settle a century-long border dispute, paving the way for a new “Schengen area” in Central Asia.
Parliaments in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan ratified the border agreement signed by both governments on Wednesday, marking a significant step towards ending the territorial dispute between the two former Soviet states, according to local media.
With this ratification, all border issues in Central Asia have been solved, said Kyrgyz president Sadyr Japarov.
Japarov earlier urged five Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, to construct a mutual visa-free zone.
“From now on, eternal peace will be established in Central Asia,” he said in a social media post on March 13, when he met his counterpart Emomali Rahmon to sign the landmark deal.
“Now we need to start the process of visa-free travel between Central Asian countries, and for visitors from other countries to travel to all Central Asian countries with a visa to one country, just like a Schengen visa.”
