Kazakhstan has been a longtime leader in nonproliferation and nuclear security, President Obama

"I send greetings to all those attending the International Conference for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World.

On the 20th anniversary of the permanent closure of the nuclear test site at Semipalatinsk, I commend the Republic of Kazakhstan and President Nursultan Nazarbayev on this historic decision that helped set the stage for future nuclear reduction and nonproliferation efforts. This ceremony today reminds us that ending nuclear testing must remain a top priority for the global community, the message reads.

For nearly two decades, the United States and Kazakhstan have worked together to secure and eliminate biological weapons. Our partnership is a testament to what is possible when nations come together in a spirit of cooperation to embrace our shared responsibility and confront a shared challenge. I am hopeful this same level of cooperation will be demonstrated by all nations at the 7th Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention this December.

Kazakhstan has been a longtime leader in nonproliferation and nuclear security, as well as a friend to the United States. I look forward to continuing our joint projects in these areas."

As President Obama made clear, the choice faced by Kazakhstan 20 years ago - either to cling to its inherited nuclear stockpile of more than 1,400 nuclear warheads, or to embrace a future as a leader of a world free of nuclear weapons - has had a dramatic impact on the global community and nuclear security efforts worldwide," the press service of the US Diplomatic Mission to Kazakhstan reports.