Giving up nuclear weapons gives Kazakhstan political heft and respect of East and West - Russian expert
Andrei Kortunov, General director of Russian Council on International Affairs, voiced his assessments of Kazakhstan's achievements in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in the margins of the II World Peace Forum, taking place these days in Beijing.
In his words, the adoption of voluntary decision to phase out nuclear legacy was reasonable and it was supported by the international community.
"Nuclear power will develop, but peaceful nuclear programs may flow to dangerous military technology. Perhaps the most pressing problem is the Iranian nuclear program. However, Iran is not the only country that can pbring foward such challenges. So, if we can strengthen the role of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)and international mechanism for controlling the entire nuclear cycle, it will calm the situation around the nuclear projects in many countries. We need more global guarantees ensuring these programs will not be used for military purposes", said the Russian expert.
"Kazakhstan is a good example of a country that renounced nuclear weapons not sacrificing the interests of its national security. If you look at the geopolitical position of Kazakhstan and its relations with the neighboring countries, our country did not have any serious threats to its independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty within the years of independence", stressed A.Kortunov.
"The President's decision to abandon nuclear weapons immediately gave Kazakhstan political weight in the international arena and the respect of East and West as well as a desire to work with our country in various fields. Therefore, it seems to me that the experience we have promoted including those countries which, for various reasons, believe that only nuclear weapons can guarantee their safety. We know the position of North Korea and we know what position will be taken by some countries of South Asia. If you follow that path, the whole world will become nuclear", stated the Russian expert.
NOTE: Beijing from 27 to 28 June is hosting II World Peace Forum themed "Peace, development and innovation". The event brings together more than 500 experts and scholars from 80 countries.
