Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the importance of the United States ratifying the Protocol on Negative Security Assurances to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia (CANWFZ). He made this statement during the "Central Asia-USA" summit while meeting with President Joe Biden, Kazinform reports.
China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom have previously ratified the Protocol. This step will help complete the institutionalization process of the region's nuclear-free status and will be a significant milestone in international efforts to strengthen nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Central Asia is the only region in the northern hemisphere where the placement of nuclear arsenals is prohibited. Similar zones exist in Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the southern part of the Pacific Ocean.
On September 20, President Tokayev, as part of his visit to New York, participated in the summit of the heads of Central Asian states and the USA. Participants discussed collaborative efforts to further strengthen the sovereignty, stability, and prosperity of Central Asia through the C5+1 partnership in the fields of economics, energy, and security.
During his speech, President Tokayev noted that today humanity faces unprecedented colossal shifts and is entering another period of geopolitical confrontation.
CentralasianLIGHT.org,
September 22, 2023