Kazakhstan initiated work on restoration of sovereign equality within IAEA

First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akan Rakhmetullin, as part of the national delegation, participated in the 66th session of the IAEA General Conference, El.kz cites MFA.

During the week, delegates of 175 countries from around the world discussed topical issues on the agenda, including the 2021 annual report, the budget for 2023 fiscal year, prospects for enhancing activities related to nuclear technology and their applications, including the work of the Agency in the field of nuclear safety and security and enhancing the efficiency of the Agency’s safeguards. The delegates substantively discussed issues related to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula and aspects of Australia, UK and US trilateral cooperation agreement (AUKUS).

The problem of the restoration of sovereign equality within the IAEA has become one of the key issues at the General Conference. Kazakhstan initiated the discussion of this matter, including through the creation of an intermediate mechanism for the assignment of Member States to relevant regional zones in accordance with the Agency's Statute. This assignment would allow solving the problem of IAEA member states that do not belong to any of the regional groups. As known, despite active participation in the work of the Agency, Kazakhstan is not part of any of the IAEA regional groups. The proposal of our country was supported by the majority of the Member States of the Agency. This work will be continued during the 67th session as well as the inter-sessional period.

During his visit, Akan Rakhmetullin held a number of bilateral meetings with heads of international organizations and heads of delegations. In this regard, the Kazakh official met with the UN Under-Secretary-General, head of the UN Office in Vienna and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Madam Ghada Waly, as well as her deputy, UNODC Director for Operations Madam Miwa Kato. The parties discussed bilateral cooperation and issues of regional security, including the upcoming meeting of the Steering Committee of the UNODC Program for Central Asia expected in October in Almaty.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan for its significant contribution to the international efforts to advance nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, as well as the active work in the field of peaceful use of atomic energy. IAEA Director General especially thanked Kazakhstan for hosting the IAEA Low-enriched Uranium Bank on its territory.

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