BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Kazakhstan’s Senate has ratified a protocol amending the agreement between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on checkpoints along their shared state border dated September 4, 2006.
According to the Senate's document, the protocol provides for upgrading the status of the Syrdarya–Malik and Tselinny–Ok Oltin road checkpoints from bilateral (interstate) crossings to international (multilateral) checkpoints. It also introduces round-the-clock operations, replacing the previous daytime-only schedule.
Additionally, the agreement expands the functionality of the two border crossings from a restricted regime for passenger vehicles only to cargo-passenger operations.
Under the new arrangements, the Tselinny–Ok Oltin checkpoint will accommodate passenger vehicles, empty freight vehicles, as well as oversized and/or heavyweight cargo and goods.
Meanwhile, the Syrdarya–Malik checkpoint will serve passenger vehicles and empty freight transport only. Commercial cargo and goods transportation through this crossing will not be permitted.
According to the Senate, implementation of the protocol, together with the ongoing modernization of infrastructure at checkpoints along the Kazakh-Uzbek section of the state border, is expected to ensure a more balanced distribution of transport and passenger flows.
