The UN Marks International Day Against Nuclear Tests, DKnews.kz reports
Traditional events commemorating the International Day Against Nuclear Tests were held at the United Nations headquarters.
In accordance with a UN General Assembly resolution, unanimously adopted at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the high-level plenary session was opened by the President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis.
“On this day, 33 years ago, the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Kazakhstan – where the former Soviet Union conducted 456 nuclear tests – was permanently closed, marking a pivotal moment in the global effort to end unrestrained nuclear testing. Importantly, it is a day to reaffirm our commitment to ending nuclear testing – once and for all” Dennis Francis
From the UN podium, speakers expressed gratitude to the Republic of Kazakhstan for its leadership and dedication to raising awareness of the severe consequences of nuclear tests.
Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the High Representative of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, reiterated the Secretary-General’s call for nuclear-weapon states to publicly reaffirm their testing moratoriums and commit to actions that do not undermine the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
The Executive Secretary of the CTBT Organization, Robert Floyd, reminded the assembly that although 187 member states have signed the CTBT and 178 have ratified it, nine of the 44 states required for the Treaty to enter into force have not yet done so.
The Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN, Kairat Umarov, recalling the catastrophic consequences of nuclear tests, affirmed that Kazakhstan remains a steadfast supporter of the CTBT. He also called for the universalization of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Quoting President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s State of the Nation Address, “Just Kazakhstan: Law and Order, Economic Growth, Social Optimism,” he emphasized the country’s commitment to broad multilateral cooperation on disarmament, strictly in accordance with the UN Charter.
“Kazakhstan’s leadership in nuclear disarmament did not halt there. We played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. This treaty demonstrates the power of regional cooperation in achieving disarmament and sets a precedent for other regions to follow suit. Kazakhstan, in collaboration with Kiribati, is working on establishing an International Trust Fund to finance projects aimed at assisting victims of nuclear tests and restoring the environment” Kairat Umarov
During a reception at the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the UN, delegations exchanged views on current risks in the field of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, as well as on the opportunities presented by key international legal instruments such as the NPT, TPNW, and CTBT. Overall, participants agreed that the International Day Against Nuclear Tests serves as a powerful platform to further mobilize global efforts toward achieving a world free from nuclear tests.
