BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Service has issued a statement denying reports it apologized for the fatal shooting of an Uzbek border guard.
The statement said Uzbek media is providing false information about the previous day's incident and trying to make it appear that Kyrgyz border guards were at fault.
Uzbek media reported that Kyrgyz officials had made the apology at a meeting of officials from the two countries late on July 23.
The subsequent statement from the Kyrgyz State Border Service said the erroneous reports by Uzbek media were making an objective investigation impossible.
Each country accuses the other of provoking the incident.
Shoot-outs involving border guards from the two countries are not uncommon and occasionally there are fatalities.
Shooting incidents on the border more commonly involve drug smugglers or livestock thieves.
The statement said Uzbek media is providing false information about the previous day's incident and trying to make it appear that Kyrgyz border guards were at fault.
Uzbek media reported that Kyrgyz officials had made the apology at a meeting of officials from the two countries late on July 23.
The subsequent statement from the Kyrgyz State Border Service said the erroneous reports by Uzbek media were making an objective investigation impossible.
Each country accuses the other of provoking the incident.
Shoot-outs involving border guards from the two countries are not uncommon and occasionally there are fatalities.
Shooting incidents on the border more commonly involve drug smugglers or livestock thieves.
