Kazakhstan heads the working group of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. Exactly 30 years ago, the First President of Kazakhstan - Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a very important historical document - decree on the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.

Our country was one of the first among the CIS countries to join the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996, which is one of the cornerstones in the system of international security and nuclear non-proliferation.

The international community, recognizing Kazakhstan's contribution to strengthening the non-proliferation regime of weapons of mass destruction, has chosen Erlan Batyrbekov, Director General of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as the Chairman of the working group of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). The appointment ceremony was held online with the participation of representatives from more than 150 countries.

CTBTO is an international organization that will monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

"Of course, the chairmanship of the CTBTO working group is a high assessment of our country's course aimed at strengthening the non – proliferation regime of weapons of mass destruction", Erlan Batyrbekov explained.

Over the years of independence Kazakhstan, having abandoned the world's fourth-largest nuclear arsenal, has carried out large-scale activities to eliminate the infrastructure and consequences of nuclear weapons tests, has gained unique experience in reducing the global threat, strengthening the non-proliferation regime of weapons of mass destruction.

Kazakhstan has provided a strong support to the CTBTO and demonstrated its determination to achieve its goals. For example, the active cooperation of the National Nuclear Center and the CTBTO in the creation of an International Monitoring System – the IMS - is noted. In particular, under the operational management of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, there are four seismic and one infrasound MSM stations, as well as the Kazakhstan National Data Center – KNDC - are functioning. Currently, the first radionuclide monitoring station for noble gases in Central Asia is being created.

Kazakhstan's participation in the work of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission as chair of the group is a good opportunity to disseminate Kazakhstan's unique experience, proven and time-tested methods of reducing the global threat, which will be another significant contribution of our country to the process of establishing a universal ban on nuclear testing.

(Photo from 365info.kz)

Unofficial translation