By TASHKENT. Nov 30 (Interfax) – Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed the laws ratifying a treaty on certain sections of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border and an agreement on the joint management of water resources of the Andijan (Kempir-Abad) Reservoir, the presidential press service said on Wednesday.
"President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the laws on ratification of the treaty between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic on certain sections of the state border and the Agreement on the Joint Management of Water Resources of the Andijan (Kempir-Abad) Reservoir on November 30," the statement said.
The press service noted that these international treaties had been signed during the visit of the Uzbek delegation led by Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov to Bishkek on November 3 of this year.
The laws for their ratification were passed by the Legislative (lower) Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (parliament) on November 14 and approved by the Senate (upper house) on November 18.
The agreement establishes a 302.29-kilometer border, including 35 sections of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz state border, the press service said.
Uzbekistan is receiving 4,957 hectares of the Andijan Reservoir and an additional 19.5 hectares for maintaining and protecting the dam. In compensation, 1,019 hectares of pasturelands are being transferred to Kyrgyzstan.
Additionally, 12,849 hectares in the Govasay area are being transferred to the Kyrgyz party as compensation for the unbuilt Kempir-Abad canal on the left bank of the Andijan Reservoir. At the same time, the Kyrgyz party is committed not to build hydraulic and other facilities that prevent the natural flow of the Govasay River, and not to allow technical pollution of water.
The parties agreed that the issues of joint management of water resources of the Andijan Reservoir and the site with the Chashma spring in the Sokh district would be governed by separate agreements.
"Until the completion of demarcation work on certain sections of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz state border, the state border will be controlled and protected according to the boundaries of actual land use," the statement said.
The Agreement on the Joint Management of Water Resources of the Andijan (Kempir-Abad) Reservoir consists of 11 articles. A Joint Commission on the Joint Management of Resources of the Andijan Reservoir was set up.
The agreement stipulates mutual obligations of the parties to the Agreement on the Joint Management of Water Resources of the Andijan Reservoir.
In accordance with the commitments, the Uzbek party undertakes to maintain the water level in the reservoir not higher than 900 meters horizontally, ensure free access and use of the reservoir water by Kyrgyz citizens (watering animals, irrigation, fishing), and not to install engineering and technical facilities around the reservoir. The Kyrgyz party is committed to ensure the establishment of water protection zones and the observance of the water use regime.
"The measures, which should be implemented by Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to ensure the safety of the Andijan Reservoir, were agreed upon. Thus, the Uzbek party ensures the safety of the reservoir, operates it, provides its maintenance, and discharges water within the limits agreed with the Kyrgyz party," the statement said.
In general, the delimitation of the borderline will enhance relations between the two countries and resolve all disagreements on the issue, it said.
As reported, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signed a law on the ratification of the treaty on the state border with Uzbekistan on November 28.
In 2017, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement to delimit 85% of the state borderline, which is 1,378 km long in total. The enactment of the current documents will complete the delimitation of the border between the two countries.
