Remarks by Kazakh Sec of State & FM Kanat Saudabayev at Int'l Conference "World Free of Nuclear Weapons: Nuclear Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Export Control"
Dear Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, let me express my appreciation to the Government of Norway and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs for excellent organization of this conference.
We have all gathered here to contribute to the noble mission of achieving a nuclear weapons free world. It is very important today to maintain the positive trends in the nuclear disarmament process, emerging from the results of the Washington Nuclear Security Summit and the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
In this regard, the Kazakhstan-Norwegian partnership in the sphere of nuclear non-proliferation is a good example of effective joint actions.
Dear Mr. Chairman,
In his book, "Epicenter of Peace", Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev wrote: "Nuclear weapons are absolute evil, and until they are destroyed, they may find an opportunity to show their true satanic nature..."
This thesis is undeniable, and human civilization is well aware that there is no greater threat than nuclear weapons.
It was highly symbolic that last April United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon started his visit to Kazakhstan with a tour of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
Standing right on the former 'ground zero', he urged the international community to achieve substantial progress on the way toward full nuclear disarmament. As the UN head emphasized in his speech, President Nursultan Nazarbayev has demonstrated extraordinary leadership by closing the nuclear test site and renouncing nuclear weapons.
The courageous act of the President of Kazakhstan has already let him go down in the world history as a responsible politician who has made a huge individual contribution to the struggle for making the Earth free from the destructive weapons.
In commemoration of a historic decision to shut down the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site on August 29, 1991, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing August 29 as the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
This resolution has reaffirmed the commitment of the international community to the process of reducing the nuclear threat and implementing the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Against this background, welcoming the decision of President Barack Obama to send the Treaty for ratification by the US Senate and highly appreciating Indonesia's decision to ratify the Treaty, we are expressing regret that a number of countries still abstain from signing and ratifying the CTBT.
The entry into force of the CTBT will become one of the key areas of effective implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), an important instrument forming a foundation for the security of all humanity.
We are satisfied that the States Parties to the NPT were able to adopt an outcome document last May at the conclusion of the latest NPT Review Conference. Yet, new and more decisive steps are needed today for nuclear disarmament.
An early drafting of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT), which should become, along with the CTBT, an important pillar of the NPT, is one of such steps.
We believe it is extremely important to begin, as soon as possible, the drafting of an international legally binding instrument providing security assurances by nuclear powers to non-nuclear-weapon States. Only such assurances can effectively keep in check the aspirations of certain non-nuclear States to acquire nuclear weapons, which they regard as a guarantee of their own security.
It will also give an impetus to the establishment new zones free from nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan, as a participant of the Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, believes that granting negative guarantees of security will strengthen confidence in the non-proliferation regime. Kazakhstan's exemple, providing a far more effective security and favoruable conditions for its own development, is a plain evidence of that.
Elaboration of such guarantees in the context of the NPT will give significant benefits to the Treaty participants and serve as an additional motivation for accession for the countries which still remain outside the Treaty.
Addressing you from this podium, I would like to reaffirm the urgency and relevance of the initiative of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to draft a Universal Declaration of a Nuclear Weapons-Free World, which would reflect the commitment of all States to firmly and consistently move towards a nuclear weapons-free world.
Kazakhstan is ready to support by concrete actions the inherent mechanism in the NPT to provide assistance to each State Party to the NPT to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes carried out in a transparent manner and on the basis of strict compliance with all requirements of the IAEA and under its control. Our country, being the world's largest uranium producer and having the capacity to down-blend highly-enriched uranium into low-enriched form, has put forward a proposal to the IAEA to host an International nuclear fuel bank, under the auspices of the IAEA, and to ensure to its safe storage.
Kazakhstan is firmly convinced the establishment of additional reserves of low-enriched uranium under the IAEA auspices will assist all states in guaranteed receipt of nuclear fuel for peaceful energy development programmes.
Distinguished conference participants,
I believe it is important to use any additional mechanisms, including the UN resolution on August 29, to mobilize resources, including media, NGOs and public diplomacy to convince relevant states of the need in responsible policies and practices towards a nuclear weapons-free world.
The international conference, "Semipalatinsk: From Rehabilitation to Development" was held together with the UN in August 26 this year in Astana, which adopted an appeal to the international community and called on the leaders of all states, which can make the difference in the entry into force of the CTBT, to ratify it.
Next year, on the 20th anniversary of the closing of the nuclear test site, Kazakhstan is going to conduct much wider campaigns dedicated to this date.
Our present conference is also a practical contribution to achieving a nuclear weapons-free future.
I would like to emphasize that the opening of the International Training Centre for Central Asian National Data Centres' specialists on June 21 this year in Almaty was an important contribution to the strengthening of the international monitoring network of the CTBTO. In this regard, let me express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Norway for their assistance with the opening of the Centre. We look forward to further cooperation with the Norwegian Government and the CTBTO to promote this important object.
Dear Mr. Chairman,
We have been consistently pursuing the principled position of Kazakhstan on the rejection of all weapons of mass destruction within international organizations, too.
During the OSCE Chairmanship in 2010, we are working on the implementation of the Athens Ministerial Declaration of the OSCE on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, which is a major contribution of the OSCE to the implementation of a Global UN mandate to maintain international peace and security.
I would like to emphasize that in the framework of the Corfu Process on the future of Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security, states parties agreed that the renewal of the "Principles governing non-proliferation" in the OSCE today is a long overdue necessity.
In this regard, the upcoming OSCE Summit in Astana on December 1-2 this year will become a landmark in the progressive movement of the OSCE participating States towards shaping a truly common and indivisible security community in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian zones, based on shared values, principles and commitments, including non-proliferation of WMD.
I would like to assure you that we will continue this direction during the 2011-2012 Kazakhstan's Chairmanship of the Ministerial Conference of the OIC.
Ladies and gentlemen,
This year has been eventful in the sphere of international security, which is one more testimony to the determination of all states and their leaders to solve problems together to make our world safer and better.
I believe this international conference's work will also make a worthy contribution to the achievement of these lofty and noble goals.
Thank you for your attention!