BISHKEK. Kyrgyzstan's Constitutional Court today rejected an appeal by 11 lawmakers to rule against the ratification of deal whereby Kyrgyzstan ceded some 1,250 square kilometers of land to China.
The 11 deputies argued that the border agreements signed between Kyrgyzstan and China in 1996 and 1999 were never properly discussed by parliament and the draft law and adopted text of the law on ratification did not mention giving territory to China.
The land deal proved extremely unpopular among the citizens of Kyrgyzstan and was one of the complaints during protests last year in Kyrgyzstan organized by the opposition. But the court today ruled the law on ratification of agreements was not against the Constitution. The court further ruled that both chambers of parliament did not exceed their authority when they adopted the law last year.
The 11 deputies argued that the border agreements signed between Kyrgyzstan and China in 1996 and 1999 were never properly discussed by parliament and the draft law and adopted text of the law on ratification did not mention giving territory to China.
The land deal proved extremely unpopular among the citizens of Kyrgyzstan and was one of the complaints during protests last year in Kyrgyzstan organized by the opposition. But the court today ruled the law on ratification of agreements was not against the Constitution. The court further ruled that both chambers of parliament did not exceed their authority when they adopted the law last year.