DUSHANBE. Nov 1 (Interfax) - Uzbekistan has unilaterally closed a checkpoint on the Uzbek-Tajik border, without explaining why, a Tajik Foreign Ministry source told Interfax on Monday.
"The Tajik-Uzbek border checkpoint in the Penjikent district of Tajikistan was unilaterally closed by Uzbekistan today. The Uzbek government sent us a relevant notification," the Tajik Foreign Ministry said.
"Tashkent did not explain why the border checkpoint was closed," the ministry said.
The checkpoint links Tajikistan's Zeravshan Valley and Samarkand region, a fourth of whose residents are ethnic Uzbeks. As a rule, residents of Tajik regions bordering on Uzbekistan have relatives on the other side of the border. They also cross Uzbek land to reach other districts of Tajikistan as many local roads cannot be used in winter.
Relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan remain strained. Air traffic between the two countries was stopped soon after both republics became independent. Tashkent initiated a visa regime in 2001, and Dushanbe soon followed suit. Uzbekistan placed mines along the borders with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Dozens of citizens from both republics died on unmarked minefields.
Tajik residents may reach cities in Uzbekistan only via border checkpoints or third countries.