Article of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev dedicated to 15th Anniversary of closing Semipalatinsk nuclear polygon "An inimitable precedent for peace" (August 29, 2006)
On 29 August, fifteen years ago President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a historical document – Decree on closure of Semipalatinsk nuclear polygon.
In August 1991 the USSR was collapsing and the world attention was fixed on one-sixth part of the globe.
One of the most historical decisions then was closure of Semipalatinsk testing ground, which further on determined the right strategic choice in favor of non-nuclear status of the republic. To date wisdom of that choice became obvious.
The decision of Kazakhstan state leader created first in the world history precedent of voluntary closing of nuclear polygon. After that the testing grounds of Nevada, Lob-Nore on New Land “fell silent”.
Small power nuclear tests held by France on atoll Mururoa in September 1995 rose a wide negative response of international community and adoption of even UN special resolution.
Signing of Agreement on worldwide ban on nuclear tests at 51st UN General Assembly on 24 September 1996 marked the process of cessation of nuclear tests, initiated by Kazakhstan. Since then the document has been opened for joining of all states.
Thus our country displayed the example of high responsibility for future generations.
Non-nuclear world and peaceful atom – is a dilemma
Testing tunnels were capped with closing of Semipalatinsk polygon. But nuclear arsena l - the fourth after US, Russia and Ukraine and objects of nuclear infrastructure and industry – remained.
On 23 May 1992 Kazakhstan singed Lisbon protocol to Treaty between the USSR and the USA on reduction and restriction of offensive weapons, in which the country renounced the production and acquisition of nuclear arms and fixed its liabilities in the sphere of non-proliferation. The country has fulfilled all its obligations: all nuclear weapons were removed from our territory and all works – stopped.
Moreover, our country has obtained guarantees of security from such nuclear countries as US, Russia, Great Britain, France, and China. We provided our territorial sovereignty.
In 1993 Kazakhstan singed Treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons- the key-document, targeted at prevention of nuclear arms’ spreading.
Apart from that our republic welcomed special resolution, strengthening acting national systems of export control adopted in April 2004 by UN Security Council, the aim of which is prevention of obtaining of nuclear arms by terrorist groups.
Kazakhstan efforts in this regard were duly appreciated and in 2004 our country joined Group of nuclear suppliers. Last year Kazakhstan joined International code of behavior against proliferation of ballistic missiles and Krakov initiative on suppression of illicit turnover of mass destruction weapons and means of their delivery.
Possessing Baikonur cosmodrome and space technologies, our republic supports and observes all norms and principles of Regime of control over rocket technologies.
Moreover, Kazakhstan is actively sharing in creation of zone free, from nuclear weapons in Central Asia. Next week, on 8 September foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are to sign related agreement. Practical implementation of this initiative will become an important step in development of cooperation on utilization of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and ecological rehabilitation of territories that had suffered from radioactive pollution.
Alongside with that, pursuing the policy of fighting nuclear threat Kazakhstan has recognized as law the right of any state for development of nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes under strict international control. It is obvious that atomic technologies have great potential and are connected with energetic branch and provision of global energetic security.
Public movement
Our famous poet, diplomat and public figure Olzhas Suleimenov initiated anti-nuclear movement “Nevada-Semei”, which united over two million of our citizens.
Kazakhstan people acting in favor of non-nuclear world in 1989 stopped 11 explosions out of planned 18 and banned inhuman experiment on Kazakhstan land forever. The efforts of the movement’s participants and all international community in the sphere of nuclear disarmament created non-nuclear silence on the planet.
Catastrophes leave traces
Despite the polygon’s “silence” during recent 15 years, future generations will suffer the consequences of previous 40-year tests. At present one of the acute problems of the regional residents is rehabilitation of health, re-cultivation of polluted lands and financing of post-conversion processes.
International public recognizes necessity of the problem’s solution. We are grateful to UN for support of Semipalatinsk region. According to the resolutions, adopted at 52nd and 53rd sessions of General Assembly problems of rehabilitation of the polygon obtained international status.
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