Kazakhstan insists on security warranties to non-nuclear countries

Kazakhstan looks forward to adoption and implementation of the final communique of the Nuclear Security Summit to be signed during the second nuclear security summit in Seoul, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov as saying during his meeting with Mayor of Ieper (Belgium) and Director of Vision-2020 campaign of the Mayors for Peace organization Luc Dehaene. "In March President Nursultan Nazarbayev is planning to take part in the second Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul and Kazakhstan looks forward to adoption and implementation of the Final communique of the summit," Foreign Ministry's press-service wrote. Kazykhanov stressed that "Kazakhstan places a special emphasis on ensuring universal nuclear security, as this issue is especially sensitive for our country that experienced the horror of consequences of nuclear tests at Semipalatinsk test site and long time ago voluntarily gave up the world's forth nuclear arsenal". "Speaking at the Global Nuclear Security Summit in Washington (in April 2010), President Nursultan Nazarbayev called the world to start working on the international legally binding document on provision of security warranties by nuclear countries to non-nuclear countries," the Minister said. Yerzhan Kazykhanov noted that having made a historical impact on the global disarmament President Nursultan Nazarbayev performed a big work on implementation of the actions plan and declarations adopted at Washington summit in 2010. "The international forum For Nuclear-free World was held in Kazakhstan in October 2011. It was timed to the International Day of Nuclear Disarmament and the 20th anniversary of closure of Semipalatinsk test site, where Astana declaration was adopted. The declaration calls all the countries with nuclear arsenal to eliminate it in the nearest time," Kazykhanov said. During the meeting Kazakhstan Foreign Minister praised activities of the Mayors for Peace conference and noted that Kazakhstan shares and supports the organization's goals confirming it by entrance of several Kazakhstan cities into this organization. According to him, "consistent actions for solution of common tasks bring us closer to the common goal: the world without nuclear weapons and threat of annihilation of mankind. Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding and creation of friendly ties between Semipalatinsk and Ieper promoted during this visit will bring our people together in terms of ensuring nuclear security". The agenda of the delegation of Ieper to Kazakhstan included meetings with Akims (Mayors) of several Kazakhstan cities and oblasts and the ceremony of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Semei, Kurchatov, Karaganda, Pavlodar, Ridder and Zyryanovsk joining the Mayors for Peace.