Kazakhstan’s Anti-Nuclear Weapons Efforts Praised During Sept. 10 Informal UN General Assembly Meeting

September 11, 2015

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (center) praised Kazakhstan’s anti-nuclear weapons efforts during a Sept. 10 informal UN assembly meeting on the topic of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

An informal meeting of the United Nations General Assembly dedicated to the International Day Against Nuclear Tests was held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Sept. 10.

The session was convened by the President of the 69th session of the General Assembly Sam Kutesa and organized in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the UN.

In its resolution 64/35, the General Assembly designated Aug. 29 as a day to note history’s nuclear tests. The date is symbolical because Aug. 29 is the date of the closing of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan.

Opening statements were made by President of the General Assembly Kutesa, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations Kairat Abdrakhmanov.

The UN secretary-general in his address expressed support for the efforts of Kazakhstan in nuclear non-proliferation, underlining the leading role of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in promoting nuclear weapons reduction initiatives globally.

Addressing participants of the meeting, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Kairat Abdrakhmanov discussed briefly the history of nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site and their tragic negative effects for the region and its population and the environment of Kazakhstan. The Kazakh diplomat quoted President Nazarbayev’s message at the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague saying: “General and complete nuclear disarmament is the only guarantee of nuclear security. We  should  all  live  up  to  the  responsibility  we  have to  our  citizens  and  the  global community to deliver political rather than military solutions in the name of international peace.”

In his report, Abdrakhmanov presented information on Kazakhstan`s position and its long-standing anti-nuclear weapons efforts, including unilaterally giving up the world`s fourth largest nuclear arsenal.

From the beginning of its independence, Kazakhstan has promoted a consistent disarmament policy, including joining the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization and creating in Central Asia a zone free of nuclear weapons. On Aug. 27, the government of Kazakhstan and the International Atomic Energy Agency also signed an Agreement on establishing in Kazakhstan by 2017 a low-enriched uranium bank.

Representatives from around the world gathered for the Sept. 10 UN informal assembly meeting on the topic of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

A wide range of UN member-country delegations, inter- and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, youth networks and media took part in the Sept. 10 UN events concerning the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

The opening ceremony was followed by a high-level panel on the topic “Towards Zero: Resolving the Contradictions,” featuring permanent representatives to the UN, high-ranking experts in the field of arms control and non-proliferation.

Speakers at the session – Mr. Kim Won-soo, Under-Secretary-General, Acting High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs; H.E. Ambassador Rose Gottemoeller, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, US Department of State; H.E. Dr. Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary, Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization; Ms. Tracy Brown, Acting Director of New York Office of the International Atomic Energy Agency – appreciated Kazakhstan`s activities in addressing nuclear non-proliferation and promoting nuclear disarmament initiatives globally.

Dr. Ira Helfand, Chair, Security Committee of Physicians for Social Responsibility and Co-President, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War in his statement shared the results of research into the effects of nuclear weapons, saying that more than 15 million people (almost the entire population of New York) could die in 15 minutes after a nuclear bomb explosion. And one week would be enough to kill the entire U.S. population.

Speakers also presented their observations and comments on ways to promote progress and achieve common ground among different approaches toward nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

The ATOM Project Honorary Ambassador Karipbek Kuyukov (left) addressed participants at the Sept. 10 informal UN assembly meeting.

Participants of the session were impressed by the address of the Honorary Ambassador of the ATOM Project and nuclear tests survivor, well-known Kazakh painter Karipbek Kuyukov. Kuyukov reminded the UN leadership and all participants of the meeting that they help decide the fates of million people around the world and called on them to sign the online petition of the ATOM Project (Abolish Testing. Our Mission.) as a small but key step for toward bringing the comprehensive test ban treaty into force.

Permanent Representatives of Croatia, Kiribati, the Russian Federation, Hungary, the EU, Ecuador, Costa-Rica, New Zealand, Indonesia, Egypt, Belarus, Iraq, Sweden, Cuba, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Australia, Austria and Turkey to the United Nations also made a statements recognizing Kazakhstan’s efforts and active role in strengthening global nuclear global.

The panel was followed by a luncheon reception and an exhibition of Kuyukov’s work at the Kazakhstan Mission to the UN.

The UN Secretary-General and Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations made welcoming remarks.

Ban Ki-moon visited the exhibition and met with Kuyukov. They exchanged gifts and posed for a photo in front of Kuyukov’s paintings.

A number of UN, foreign delegation representatives, U.S. politicians and non-proliferation experts attended the exhibition and reception.