Experts in Canada highly appreciated Kazakhstan's contribution to regional and international security
OTTAWA, June 9, 2021 - A Kazakhstan-Canadian online conference was held on June 9, 2021 as part of a series of events dedicated to the 30th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The event discovered Kazakhstan’s initiatives and achievements in the regional and international security fields over the Independence years.
In his opening remarks Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Canada, H.E. Akylbek Kamaldinov highlighted that “Kazakhstan is currently passing through important stage of its development and on December 16, 2021 will celebrate the Jubilee - 30th Anniversary of Independence”. Kazakhstan diplomat emphasized that our country is recognized as a leader in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), its armed forces are participating in the UN peacekeeping operations and experts highly commend such Kazakhstan initiatives as renunciation of the world's fourth nuclear arsenal, closing the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and mediation in peaceful negotiations.
Ambassador Kamaldinov noted that Kazakhstan is the initiator of the creation of the CICA and provided a platform for peace talks on the settlement of the Syrian conflict "Astana process". Our country also played an important role in concluding an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, and two rounds of talks between Iran and the 5 + 1 group were held in Astana in 2013.
Kazakhstan diplomat emphasized that on the initiative of the First President of Kazakhstan - Elbasy N. Nazarbayev, the Global Alliance of Leaders for Nuclear Security and a World Free of Nuclear Weapons (GAL) was created, which purpose is to promote the creation of a safe future of mankind, free from the threat of nuclear war.
The Ambassador acquainted the participants with the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan K.Tokayev to create a specialized agency accountable to the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly - the International Agency for Biological Safety (IABS), which in its activities will be guided by the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention.
Ambassador Kamaldinov stressed that Kazakhstan is firmly committed to ensuring regional security by strengthening confidence-building measures in the Asian region and international security by strengthening the non-proliferation regime of WMD and nuclear disarmament.
Former Ambassador of Canada to Kazakhstan Ms. Margaret Skok noted that over the years of its independence, Kazakhstan has implemented large-scale political and socio-economic reforms and made a significant contribution to economic and food security of Central Asia. In her opinion, our country is a member of authoritative international organizations such as the UN, OSCE, OIC and has established itself as a responsible member of the international community.
Fellow of Canadian Global Affairs Institute Mr. Andrew Rasiulis positively characterized the political and socio-economic achievements of Kazakhstan over 30 years of independence and its significant contribution to the settlement of regional conflicts through negotiations and the provision of mediation services. He noted the similarity of the positions of Kazakhstan and Canada on the international agenda and the possibility of establishing interaction in the field of peacekeeping and mediation.
Director of the Institute of World Economy and Politics (IMEP) under the Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation Mr. Yerzhan Saltybayev conducted a detailed review of Kazakhstan's policy in the field of regional and international security. He emphasized that on our country’s initiative a nuclear-weapon-free zone was created in Central Asia and Kazakhstan’s important achievement was the placement of a low-enriched uranium Bank on its territory under the IAEA auspices. The IMEP Head stressed that our country is a member of 70 international organizations at the regional and global level and highlighted the activities of the Republic of Kazakhstan in such associations as the CICA, SCO, OSCE, etc.
Saltybaev noted that an important initiative promoting global anti-nuclear agenda is the awarding of the Nazarbayev Prize for a world without nuclear weapons and global security. The award, approved in 2016, is given every 2 years for outstanding contribution to non-proliferation and disarmament issues. At the same time, he stressed that the IMEP and the Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation are actively involved in the process of establishing an open international dialogue on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
Director of the Center for International Security and Policy Mr. Alimzhan Akhmetov described in detail the anti-nuclear initiatives of Kazakhstan and noted that our country is an active participant of all international treaties in the field of nuclear security, including the CTBT, NPT and TPNW, which contribute to the creation of a world free from the threat of nuclear war. He emphasized that Kazakhstan took a direct part in the development of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), as well as in the meetings of the preparatory committees for NPT Review Conference.
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the province of Ontario Mr. Stalin Bharty highly appreciated economic achievements of our country over the years of independence, as well as the multi-vector foreign policy of Kazakhstan. He noted the constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation of Kazakhstan with Russia and China, and stressed that Kazakhstan is a leader in Central Asia.
In general, the event demonstrated a significant interest of the research circles of the host country in further strengthening cooperation between Kazakhstan and Canada.
The event was held by initiative of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Canada and co-sponsored by the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS) at Carleton University and the Center for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (CERES) at the University of Toronto.