Uzbekistan shuts down border with Kazakhstan
Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:09:38 GMT
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Kazakh Foreign Ministry verifies that Uzbekistan has unilaterally closed its border with Kazakhstan, as swine flu continues to spread in both countries.
"We confirm that the border is closed," Erzhan Ashikbayev, Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman, told journalists on Monday, noting that "It's not our initiative. We don't have information on the motives for this decision."
He added that the border is currently open to citizens of each nation returning home. Uzbekistan's foreign ministry could not be reached for comment.
Local residents believe the move is related to the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus. However, no official has yet commented on the issue.
On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and parts of Afghanistan were reporting higher numbers of flu cases.
Uzbekistan has tense relations with its neighbors regularly closing borders and turning off gas supplies to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id...onid=351020406
Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:09:38 GMT
<TABLE cellPadding=0 cellspasing="0"><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Kazakh Foreign Ministry verifies that Uzbekistan has unilaterally closed its border with Kazakhstan, as swine flu continues to spread in both countries.
"We confirm that the border is closed," Erzhan Ashikbayev, Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman, told journalists on Monday, noting that "It's not our initiative. We don't have information on the motives for this decision."
He added that the border is currently open to citizens of each nation returning home. Uzbekistan's foreign ministry could not be reached for comment.
Local residents believe the move is related to the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus. However, no official has yet commented on the issue.
On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and parts of Afghanistan were reporting higher numbers of flu cases.
Uzbekistan has tense relations with its neighbors regularly closing borders and turning off gas supplies to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id...onid=351020406
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