Tokayev urges nuclear powers to negotiate on 35th anniversary of Semipalatinsk closure
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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on nuclear powers to negotiate and to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty into force, in an address marking the 35th anniversary of the Semipalatinsk test site closure. He said Kazakhstan's anti-nuclear stance remains a firm principle of its foreign policy. Tokayev also reaffirmed the country's commitment to peaceful nuclear energy, citing the national referendum that approved a nuclear power plant.
Key Facts
- The Semipalatinsk test site was closed 35 years ago, on 29 August 1991.
- Kazakhstan voluntarily renounced the world's fourth-largest nuclear arsenal.
- From 1949 to 1989, 456 nuclear explosions were conducted at the Semipalatinsk test site.
- The International Day against Nuclear Tests was established by the UN General Assembly on Kazakhstan's initiative.
- Tokayev called for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to enter into force as soon as possible.
Presidential Address
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev issued the address on 29 August, the International Day against Nuclear Tests. He recalled that the Semipalatinsk test site was closed exactly 35 years ago, after decades of damage to human health and the environment. Tokayev said the date should remind the world of the tragic consequences of nuclear tests and the need to prevent their repetition. He stated that Kazakhstan's position as a leader of the global anti-nuclear movement remains unchanged.
Nuclear Disarmament Call
Tokayev called on nuclear powers to resume negotiations and to take decisive multilateral action to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons use. He urged the swift entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The president noted that Kazakhstan voluntarily gave up the world's fourth-largest nuclear arsenal, choosing peace, security and sustainable development. He said this decision fulfilled the aspirations of the Kazakh people and demonstrated responsibility to future generations.
Peaceful Nuclear Energy
Tokayev stressed that atomic energy must serve exclusively peaceful purposes. He recalled that Kazakhstanis supported the development of nuclear energy in a national referendum. The president said this choice lays the foundation for the country's economic and scientific-technological development for decades to come.
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Tokayev urges nuclear powers to negotiate on 35th anniversary of Semipalatinsk closure
