Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Mr. Taro Kono

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Under Regulations - 5 min.

Statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr. KairatAbdrakhmanov on the 10th Conference on Article XIV of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

(20 September 2017, New York)

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Mr. Taro Kono,

Designated Co-Presidents, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BelgiumMr.DidierReynders and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of IraqMr.Ibrahim al-Eshaiker al-Jaafari,

Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission of the TreatyMr. LassinaZerbo,

High Representative Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu,

Ministers, Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

First of all, I express my gratitude for the continued support extended to Kazakhstan during our joint work with Japan as theCo-Presidents of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Article XIVConference.

I also commend Dr. LassinaZerbo, the Executive Secretary of the CTBTO and his staff for their tireless work and efforts in promoting the entry into force and universalization of the CTBT, as well as strengthening the Treaty’s verification regime.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Kazakhstan and Japan has worked consistently to facilitate the entry into force of the Treaty over the last two years.

I would like to emphasize that for the first time in the history of the CTBT a joint document in support of the Treaty was signed at the highest political level – by the President of Kazakhstan NursultanNazarbayev and the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abein October 2015 .

Similarly in 2016 another two statements were issued at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington and the Open-ended Working Group in Geneva.

Kazakhstan and Japan continuedtheir efforts on the Annex IIstatesto facilitate the speedy entry into force and Annex I states to make the CTBT universal.

We welcome Swaziland and Myanmar’s ratification of the CTBT since the last Article XIV Conference in 2015.

However, since Indonesia ratified the Treaty in 2012, there stillremain eight Annex II countries whose ratification is mandatory for Treaty to enter into force.We urge these states to ratify the Treaty as soon as possible without any preconditions.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are deeply concerned by the DPRK’s nuclear tests. North Korea remains the only state continuing nuclear weapons tests in the 21st century despite condemnation from the entire international community.

Kazakhstan strongly condemns the irresponsible behavior of the DPRK’s leadership, which not only seriously damage the international striving on nuclear disarmament, but also undermine efforts to ensure the CTBT is entered into force. We call upon Pyongyang to stop this practice, renounce its nuclear ambitions, and sign and ratify the CTBT as soon as possible.

Ladies and gentlemen,

UN General Assembly by its Resolution 64/35 on 2 December 2009 designated August 29 as the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. This day has been widely commemorated in Kazakhstan and in the UN from 2010 on and this year was alsomarked by several important events of international significance.

From August 25 to 29,2017 Astana hosted the Conference of the PugwashMovement of Scientists to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Movement and International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

Hundreds of scholars, practitioners and officials from about 50 countries gathered to seek ways of achieving a nuclear-weapons-free world.High Representative Nakamitsuand Executive Secretary Zerbo, we are very grateful to you for attending and actively contributing to the work of the Conference.

The same day, President Nazarbayev and IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano opened the IAEALow Enriched Uranium Bank Facility in Kazakhstan, witha view to making a significant contribution to the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and strengthening the global nonproliferation regime.This is one of the very few bright spots in the realm of non–proliferation achieved recently that international community so desperately needs.

On the opening ceremonyPresident Nazarbayev outlined a number of important initiatives that I would like to share with you.

First, to convenea summit of all states possessing nuclear weapons for them to collectively discuss further steps towards their nuclear disarmament and attaining nuclear-weapon-free world.

Second, to enhance the role of the nuclear weapon free zones as effective instruments to endthe further nuclear proliferation and to combine efforts of states – parts of such zones at the meeting of all nuclear weapons-free zones in Astana.

Third, to renew the process of global nuclear security summits.

And fourth, to joint efforts to ensure the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons by 2020 – the year the world will mark the 50thanniversary of the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As we pause for thinking over important matters today, let us resolve that we do not want to see the world as the arena of nuclear conflicts. We are sure that together we can achieve our common goal – a world free of the threat from nuclear tests and, ultimately, from the threat of nuclear weapons.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today we are handing over this important mandate to our distinguished colleagues from Belgium and Iraq whom I assure of our full support and cooperation in implementing of their crucial assignment and of our commitment to be actively involved in promoting the comprehensive ban on nuclear tests. I wish you good luck and best of success in your future endeavours.

Thank you for your attention.