OSCE organizes study visit of Tajik, Kyrgyz experts to Estonia on border delimitation and demarcation
DUSHANBE, 23 July 2014 – A five-day OSCE-supported study visit to Estonia for participants from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan on good practices in border demarcation and delimitation concluded today.
The visit was organized jointly by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, in close co-operation with the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF).
Participating in the visit were fifteen representatives of Tajikstan’s Presidential Apparatus, Foreign and Justice Ministries, and Border Troops. They were joined by representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s Presidential Apparatus, Foreign Ministry, the Government Secretariat on Border Issues and the Border Troops. Participants were hosted by the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board at different locations along the Estonian-Russian border.
As the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan is not yet properly demarcated, the aim of this study visit was to give participants a first-hand overview of how the Estonian border service is organized along areas of the Estonian-Russian border which are not clearly defined. They learned about best practices and international standards in the delimitation and demarcation of a border line. Participants were brought to different locations along the Estonian-Russian border, where representatives of the Estonian and Russian border agencies delivered presentations.
Participants learned about best practices in confidence-building and international co-operation that can be applied in their respective countries and services with regards to shared border management.
The participants were presented with guidance about the legal basis, operational framework, education, logistical needs and investigation techniques necessary for upgrading bilateral co-operation to international standards, as a way of preventing potential incidents and effective responses in the event of an incident.
The participants of this study visit also took part in a training course in Dushanbe at the beginning of July on conflict prevention. The training course and study visit were organized in response to a series of incidents that took place along the shared border of both countries in late 2013 and 2014.