Kazakhstan’s priorities in global nuclear disarmament process announced in Geneva
ASTANA. KAZINFORM During the period from February 29 through March 2, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alexey Volkov paid a working visit to Geneva to participate in the work of the UN Human Rights Council and the Disarmament Conference, Kazinform learnt from the press service of the Kazakh Foreign Office.
Taking the floor at the Disarmament Conference, Volkov informed the participants of Kazakhstan’s positions regarding the current agenda and noted that the forum has much potential to contribute to the disarmament process.
Speaking on the UN GA Resolution on adoption of the Universal Declaration on the Nuclear-Weapons-Free World on the initiative of the Kazakh President, the Vice Minister stressed that it had become an important step towards adoption of a legally binding international document on nuclear weapons prohibition. Volkov briefed about the ATOM Project whose mission is to ensure global public support of final prohibition of the nuclear tests through the enactment of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and full liquidation of nuclear weapons by all countries.
While delivering a speech at the meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, A. Volkov told about the priorities and objectives of Kazakhstan human rights protection sector. The diplomat emphasized that Kazakhstan will continue to actively participate in the work of the HRC in the context of the experience gained during its membership in the Council in 2013-2015.
The current 10th jubilee of the Council is notable for complicated conditions of international tense growth and instability and turning away the basic principles of international law. Namely for this reason, as the Kazakh diplomat stressed, the President of Kazakhstan proposed to establish a global anti-terrorist coalition and to elaborate and adopt a comprehensive document on fighting terrorism. He added that maintaining inter-ethnic and inter-faith peace and accord is one of main priorities for multinational and multi-confessional Kazakhstan.
A.Volkov drew the participants’ attention to the oncoming “Religions for Peace” high-level forum to be held at the UN Headquarters in New York on May 6, 2016. The goal of the conference is to discuss the role of religions and spiritual leaders in international struggle against terrorism.
Volkov informed the members and the observers of the Council on Kazakhstan’s initiative to convene a top-level UN International Conference called to reaffirm the basic principles of the international law.
On the sidelines of the event, Volkov had bilateral meetings with Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation Alan Doss, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Spain Ignacio Rubio and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda Henry Okello and others.