U.S. looking forward to ratification of nuclear-free zone treaty in Central Asia
BISHKEK. KAZINFORM - The United States can ratify the treaty on nuclear-free zone in Central Asia. This was announced by Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Asia Daniel Rosenblum during the teleconference with reporters from Central Asia on December 23.
Rosenblum added that he sees "no opposition" in the Senate with respect to this agreement. He explained that there is a large number of other documents waiting for Senate's review, which is the main reason why the treaty has not still been ratified. He said the U.S. side would like it happen in the coming year. The treaty on a nuclear-free zone in Central Asia was signed in Semipalatinsk by representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on September 8, 2006. The document is accompanied by protocol, which is open for signing of the nuclear-weapon states. In accordance with this protocol, the countries should not use nuclear weapons or threaten to use them against the participants of the treaty. Source: AKI Press