Central Asian nations get assurances of no nukes

The protocol was signed at New-York headquarters of the United Nations on Tuesday. The documents should be ratified before it comes into force.

The protocol assures the five countries that nuclear weapons won’t be used against them. It is remarkable that the protocol to the treaty has been signed today by all nuclear-weapon states simultaneously. This is the first such example in the world.

Agreement on Nuclear Free Zone in Central Asia entered into force on 21 March 2009. The agreement was signed on 8 September 2006 in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan. The agreement became significant contribution of Central Asia to strengthening of regional and global peace and security.

Angela Kane, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, said that this event became an important milestone in strengthening both regional security in Central Asia and global non-proliferation regime.

The signing of the protocol completes process of consultations on providing guarantees of the Central Asian states.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Permanent Representatives of Uzbekistan at the UN Muzaffar Madrakhimov expressed hoped that the document will strengthen regional and global security.

Ambassador Madrakhimov recalled that President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov called for creation of nuclear free zone in Central Asia at the 48th session of the UN General Assembly in 1993.

Under the treaty, Central Asian states undertake not to research, develop, manufacture, stockpile, acquire, possess, or have any control over any nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device, not to seek or receive assistance in any of the above, or assist in or encourage such actions. The receipt, storage, stockpiling, installation, or other form of possession of any nuclear weapon or nuclear explosive device on the territory of the member states is not allowed.

Nuclear-free zone in Central Asia has some unique features - it was the first such zone created in the Northern Hemisphere in the region, which is bordered by two nuclear states - Russia and China. Also Treaty was the first multilateral agreement in the field of security, which covers all five Central Asian countries.

In 1992, Mongolia announced its non-nuclear status, which is another neighbor of Russia and China. This decision received international recognition, as recorded in the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly.

Similar zone free of nuclear weapons exist in Latin America, Africa, the Pacific and South-East Asia and unite more than 100 countries.

"Nuclear weapons free zones became one of the most effective ways of controlling and responding to potential future nuclear disasters, while ensuring nuclear safety and non-proliferation regime has become one of the most important international security issues, which the world is facing,” Ambassador of Uzbekistan Muzaffar Madrakhimov said.

The UN Security General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the signing of the protocol. He also expressed hope that all five nuclear powers will ratify the protocol without any delay.

The UN chief also called to create new nuclear free zones, underlining that such moves will strengthen regional security and disarmament.