Importance of nuclear-weapon-free zones discussed in Washington, DC

The Embassy of Kazakhstan in the United States, in partnership with the NGO Arms Control Association (ACA), hosted a discussion titled: "Strengthening Global Security: Advancing Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones",El.kz cites MFA.

The event brought together the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States, Yerzhan Ashikbayev; ACA Executive Director Daryl Kimball; and representatives from “Nuclear Threat Initiative”, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, the Embassy of Australia, the United States Institute of Peace, and the NGO “Foreign Policy for America”.

During the discussion, Ambassador Ashikbayev highlighted the crucial role of nuclear-weapon-free zones as a key element of international efforts to mitigate nuclear risks and bolster global security. He also noted that this year marks the 15th anniversary of the Semipalatinsk Treaty’s entry into force and the 10th anniversary of the P5 nations signing the Protocol on Negative Security Assurances.

“In this regard, Kazakhstan, as a nation firmly committed to non-proliferation and disarmament, underscores the importance of the U.S. Senate ratification of the Negative Security Assurance Protocols for the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (CANWFZ), the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone (SPNFZ), and the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (ANWFZ),” the Ambassador stated.

Daryl Kimball emphasized that nuclear-weapon-free zones serve as platforms for enhancing global stability and called on the U.S. Senate to take decisive actions.

Other participants in the discussion underscored the importance of a collective approach, expressing their readiness to further strengthen cooperation, intensify joint efforts to advance the ratification of the Protocols on Negative Security Assurances, and deepen dialogue on issues related to global security and nuclear non-proliferation.

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