Joint statement by states parties to treaty on a nuclear-weapon-free zone in central asia at the 2026 review conference of the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons
Mr. President,
Distinguished participants,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the States Parties to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, namely the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and my own country – the Republic of Kazakhstan which currently serves as Chair of the Treaty.
This year the Treaty marks the 20th anniversary since its signing by the five Central Asian States in 2006 in the city of Semipalatinsk and continues to resolutely fulfill its mandate in reinforcing the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime.
Four review cycles have passed since our zone was established. The global situation has since dramatically changed also unavoidably affecting the NPT as one of its core components. Today’s key challenges comprise of the lack of meaningful progress in nuclear disarmament under Article VI, the unraveling of key arms control agreements combined with a disturbing trend for modernization of nuclear arsenals, the growing pressure on non-proliferation norms as well as regional conflicts involving civilian nuclear infrastructure.
Despite all of the above challenges, non-nuclear-weapon States continue to faithfully uphold their commitment to the objectives of the Treaty. A prevailing majority of these States are also parties to Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaties which are widely recognized as an essential part of the bedrock of the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation architecture.
Mr. President,
The declaration of the Central Asian region affirming to be a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the heart of the vast Eurasian continent significantly enhances the security and stability in this expansive geopolitical space.
The establishment of such a zone is the visionary outcome of the collective effort of all five Central Asian States in their desire to provide security, stability and peace in the region pursuant to the to the idea put forward by Uzbekistan in September 1993 at the 48th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Very symbolically, our region made an astonishing leap from a region where nuclear weapons were actively tested and deployed to a champion of global nuclear disarmament.
The Central Asian nuclear-weapon-free zone still remains the first and only such zone located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and directly bordering two nuclear-weapon States. Remarkably, our region also hosted the world's largest nuclear test site – the Semipalatinsk polygon – which was closed in 1991 by the will of the people of Kazakhstan and where more than 450 nuclear tests were conducted for over four decades.
Since the Treaty’s signing 20 years ago, the Kyrgyz Republic has been officially performing the functions of depository of the Treaty. In accordance with the established practice, an updated Memorandum on activities of the zone was submitted by Kyrgyzstan on behalf of the five States as an official document of this Review Conference.
Through the core provisions of the Treaty its State Parties have committed themselves voluntarily and unequivocally to ban the production, acquisition and deployment of nuclear weapons and their components or other nuclear explosive devices on their territories.
Another distinctive feature of the Treaty is that its Parties are required to conclude comprehensive safeguard agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Additional Protocol. And finally, provisions to assist any efforts towards the environmental rehabilitation of territories contaminated as а result of past activities is another innovative element of the zone.
Noting the importance of the environmental rehabilitation issues for our region, we urge all governments and international organizations to consider providing appropriate assistance to the Central Asian states for radiological assessment and remediation of former nuclear test sites as well as uranium extraction sites.
Mr. President,
We stay committed to enhancing partnership with the other existing nuclear-weapon-free-zones with the aim of strengthening the NPT regime and coordinating international efforts to ensure broader peace and security.
In December 2023 under Tajikistan’s chairmanship our zone formally signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). A similar Memorandum was concluded with OPANAL in December 2024 during Turkmenistan’s chairmanship. Currently, we are actively exploring avenues for broadening our cooperation with the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (the Bangkok Treaty), the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty (the Rarotonga Treaty) and Mongolia.
Moreover, on 28 November 2024, representatives of Chairing side also took part in the special session of the General Conference of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean on behalf of members of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free zone in Central Asia.
On 28 August 2024, on the occasion of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, a second of its kind “seminar on fostering cooperation and enhancing consultation mechanisms among the existing nuclear-weapon-free zones” was co-organized in Astana with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. The event gathered the representatives of all nuclear-weapon-free-zones and Mongolia, relevant international and non-governmental organisations as well as the five nuclear-weapon-States.
Mr. President,
More than a decade has passed since May 2014 when the high-ranking representatives of the “nuclear five” signed the Protocol on Negative Security Assurances to Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia. The Protocol is an integral part of the Treaty and provides security assurances against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons to the Central Asian States.
The Protocol to the Treaty has been so far ratified by the four nuclear-weapon States and we express our hope to secure the earliest ratification of the Protocol by the United States so as to finalize the institutionalization of the nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia.
With reference to this Protocol, we recall resolution 79/24 “Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia”, adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly on 2 December 2024 that calls on the nuclear-weapon States to take measures for early ratification of the Protocol to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia. In this context, on behalf of the Central Asian states I invite all States Parties to support the next iteration of the resolution which will be tabled during the upcoming 81st session of UNGA this October.
I would like to reiterate that the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones is one of the strongest universal instruments preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and bolstering the global disarmament process. Therefore, the integrity and well-functioning of the treaties establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones remains in the interest of all States parties to the NPT, particularly so the nuclear-weapon States.
Regrettably, no new zones have emerged over the past two decades, especially in the Middle East which many deemed a realistic and achievable goal. On the contrary, we see a dire deterioration of the security situation in the region putting additional stress on the fragile global non-proliferation architecture. In this context, the 1995 resolution on the Middle East retains its full validity and relevancy pending its full implementation.
Mr. President,
To conclude, allow me to reiterate the five Central Asian States’ strong commitment to upholding the NPT and its unique and indispensable role as the cornerstone of the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime and a pillar of international stability and security, which is all the more necessary in current critical times.
We express our hope for this Review Conference to yield practical and consensus-based outcomes that will enhance global security, promote further cooperation and sustain peace and prosperity in the world.
I thank you.