Roza Otunbayeva said that Kyrgyzstan had signed an international convention on refugees but also had commitments under agreements with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and bilateral accords with Uzbekistan.
"We are checking every person," Otunbayeva said. "Our migration service is receiving help from the general prosecutor's office, which has studied all the documents provided by Uzbekistan."
She added that Kyrgyzstan needed time to make a decision because migration officials were spending at least half a day talking to each asylum seeker.
"This is a very time-consuming effort similar to an investigation. A decision will be made only after this work is over," the foreign minister said.
"We will do everything possible to complete our work in a worthy manner in dialogue with Uzbekistan and the West," the minister said.
She added that the situation near the country's Osh prison, where 29 Uzbek citizens who illegally crossed into Kyrgyzstan after a failed uprising in the Uzbek city of Andijan are currently in custody, was not calm and certain forces could attempt to set Uzbek refugees free.
Uzbekistan has accused the individuals in custody of being involved in mass disorders in the republic.
