Central Asia Leads Global Nuclear Disarmament, ICAN Head Says

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Participating in discussions at the Tashkent Dialogue on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, Melissa Park, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), stated that Central Asia demonstrates a unique example of how a region that faced the consequences of a nuclear past has become a leader in global disarmament.

The event was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) in partnership with the Institute for Foreign Policy and Market Research (IFPMR) and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

"It is the historical experience of the region—from the powerful Nevada-Semipalatinsk movement to the creation of the world's first nuclear-weapon-free zone located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere—that serves as an inspiring guideline for the entire world community today," Park said.

During her speech, Park emphasized that the key mechanism guaranteeing long-term stability and security in an era of geopolitical crises is the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). In her view, the only effective way to eliminate the probability of a catastrophe is the complete and unconditional rejection of nuclear weapons. Furthermore, she expressed conviction that as long as nuclear arsenals remain a tool of deterrence policy, no region, even one protected by the formal status of a nuclear-weapon-free zone, can feel completely safe.

In this context, Park specifically noted the role of Central Asian states in strengthening international law. She highlighted the leadership of Kazakhstan, stating that the country was not only one of the first in the region to join the TPNW but also actively participates in its work regarding assistance to victims and the environmental rehabilitation of territories.

The ICAN Executive Director also positively assessed Kyrgyzstan's decision to sign the treaty and expressed hope for the early accession of the remaining countries. In her words, for Central Asian states, this step is logical and natural, as the necessary legal framework and control mechanisms, including IAEA protocols, have already been established in the region. To support this idea, she stated that the TPNW does not contradict existing regional obligations, but rather complements them, bringing regional norms to a global level.

Park separately addressed the importance of the Tashkent Dialogue itself. Such platforms, in her opinion, are critically necessary for synchronizing regional policy with global goals. She believes that at a time when international institutions, including the NPT, face serious challenges, the Tashkent Dialogue acts as a safe haven for developing new standards.

The speaker pointed out two fundamental functions of the dialogue. First, it allows the countries of Central Asia to transmit their successful experience in environmental rehabilitation and ensuring security to global platforms. Second, it creates a space for discussing new threats, ranging from the risk of resumed nuclear testing to the need for complete transparency in peaceful nuclear programs.

Concluding her speech, Park expressed ICAN's readiness for a deep partnership with the governments, academia, and civil society of Central Asia. She emphasized that the architecture of a secure future for the entire planet now largely depends on the determination of this region.