The Value of Disputed Territories: The Case of Kyrgyzstan and Its Neighbors

Abstract

25 years after its independence, Kyrgyzstan’s state borders are not fully defined. Kyrgyz officials have been proactive in cooperating with China and Kazakhstan, but reluctant to do the same with the other two neighbors – Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. By studying the disputed territories from a state’s perspective, based on the available primary and secondary sources, the paper contributes to the larger academic discussion on disputed territories in Fergana Valley. Its main focus is to understand how states act regarding the disputed areas of various values: symbolic, strategic and economic. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of disputed areas involving Kyrgyzstan and representing various values (economic, strategic and symbolic), and analyzes the state’s strategies regarding each of them. Based on the analyzes of Kyrgyzstan territorial strategies and tactics regarding the disputed areas with Uzbekistan, as well as with Tajikistan, the paper tests the argument that Kyrgyzstan chose to be more proactive regarding the territories of high economic and strategic value, and prefer to cooperate or delay actions regarding the areas of symbolic value.