Central Asia Calls for a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East
Uzbekistan
Foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries have called on the international community to support the creation of new nuclear-weapons-free zones, including in the Middle East. The joint statement was published by Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry to mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the treaty establishing the Central Asian nuclear-weapons-free zone.
The foreign ministers expressed “serious concern over the lack of substantial progress in nuclear disarmament” under Article 6 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The statement also noted the expiration of key arms control agreements. According to the countries of the region, additional risks are being created by the “alarming trend toward the modernization of nuclear arsenals.”
Against this backdrop, the ministers called for “the urgent development of new, verifiable arms control mechanisms aimed at preventing a nuclear arms race.” They also stressed the need to establish new nuclear-weapons-free zones in regions where such arrangements do not currently exist.
“We support efforts to create new nuclear-weapons-free zones in regions where they do not currently exist, including the Middle East,” the statement said.
The joint position draws on the experience of the five Central Asian countries. On September 8, 2006, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan signed a treaty in Semipalatinsk establishing a nuclear-weapons-free zone in Central Asia.
Twenty years later, the countries of the region have reaffirmed their support for expanding similar zones to other regions of the world, including the Middle East.
The statement also noted the expiration of key arms control agreements. According to the countries of the region, additional risks are being created by the “alarming trend toward the modernization of nuclear arsenals.”
Against this backdrop, the ministers called for “the urgent development of new, verifiable arms control mechanisms aimed at preventing a nuclear arms race.” They also stressed the need to establish new nuclear-weapons-free zones in regions where such arrangements do not currently exist.
“We support efforts to create new nuclear-weapons-free zones in regions where they do not currently exist, including the Middle East,” the statement said.
The joint position draws on the experience of the five Central Asian countries. On September 8, 2006, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan signed a treaty in Semipalatinsk establishing a nuclear-weapons-free zone in Central Asia.
Twenty years later, the countries of the region have reaffirmed their support for expanding similar zones to other regions of the world, including the Middle East.
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