BISHKEK. Jan 15 (Interfax) - The Kyrgyz and Tajik Border Services have agreed to continue negotiations on Wednesday, January 15, to stabilize the situation on the border following a Saturday gunfire incident, the Kyrgyz State Border Service told Interfax on Tuesday.
"In light of the exacerbation of the situation at the Kyrgyz-Tajik section of the state border and with the aim of clarifying information provided by a Tajik border representative concerning the Isfara section during the meeting between the parties' border representatives on January 14, telephone negotiations were immediately arranged between the chiefs of the Kyrgyz and Tajik Border Services," it said.
"During the telephone conversation, the Kyrgyz side brought up the issue of the situation that has taken shape on the border and insisted on resolving the problems arising exclusively through negotiations," it said.
"Commander of the Tajik State Security Committee's Border Forces Rajabali Rahmonali reaffirmed his willingness to settle the situation diplomatically and prevent the border conflict's escalation," it said.
To work out joint measures to stabilize the situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, the chiefs of the two countries' Border Services should meet on January 15, it said.
Five Kyrgyz border guards and one member of a Kyrgyz special police task force sustained gunshot wounds in an exchange of fire with Tajik border guards on January 11.