Nowadays, Kazakhstan has a leading position on ensuring nuclear safety and creating a nuclear-free world. Its contribution to disarmament began in 1991, when President Nazarbayev closed Semipalatinsk (the world´s second-largest nuclear test site). In 1994, Kazakhstan had more nuclear warheads than France, Britain and China together, and under the Nunn-Lugar program the Republic rid itself of those nuclear weapons. Since that moment, in cooperation with U.S and Russia, Kazakhstan was carrying out different nuclear security measures and new projects. Nazarbayev urged all the states that have not yet signed or ratifyied the CTBT to do it. However, for some countries the development of a world free of nuclear weapons may sound like utopia.
In my opinion, Kazakhstan´s role in global nuclear disarmament is essential and many governments should take example from this country. Semipalatinsk left a devastating legacy for residents and environmnt, but this fact has not touched everybody in the same way. The problem is that there are countries which don´t want to get rid of their nuclear weapons. During the 66th session of the UN General Assembly, Nazarbayev said: "I suggest to sign a collective request to de facto nuclear countries to give up their ambitions and join global treaties". From my point of view, the Kazakh President is making a significant job, but sometimes ambitions are more important than treaties, so creating a nuclear-free world will be a hard issue. I think many steps should be made in order to achieve this goal, and joining the CTBT might be one of them. I believe that, CTBT is an evidence of the fact that not all the countries are ready to lose their nuclear gains and ambitions, but this is something that have to be solved and Kazakhstan is contributing to achieve this goal of global nuclear disarmament.
Obviously it is going to be really hard to make all countries sign the CTBT and to move away from the production of nuclear weapons, specially if important countries, such as the United States, own nuclear weapons themselves. However it is true that big steps have been taken since the Cold War to eradicate the possession of nuclear weapons. I specially agree with you on the importance of Kazakhstan on the disarmament movement, but more will be needed in order to accomplish something, and much more to completely eradicate nuclear bombs.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with both of you, I believe this is a huge step forward towards World Peace. Kazakhstan, ex-member of the USSR has managed to move away from its past (Cold War) and its now even encouraging the movement to the other side of the spectrum. I see this as a big encouragement for others to follow, the less weapons, the less threat and problems. It is true that there is much more to be done and that more countries need to join this cause, but its better than nothing
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