National Statement: Kazakhstan

President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev

Fourth Nuclear Security Summit

Washington, 1 April 2016 

Your Excellencies!

The six-year process of the Nuclear Security Summits creates a new spirit of hope.

I would like to thank President Barack Obama for this historic initiative.

It is certainly a great achievement of your mission as the U.S. President and one of the world leaders.

As we meet today the arrows of the “Doomsday Clock” – the measure that scientists and experts use to judge the closeness of the threat of a nuclear collapse are frozen in a fixed position for the second year in a row.

This is the practical result of our Nuclear Security Summit.

The anti-nuclear component of modern international relations has been significantly strengthened.

First of all, on December 7, 2015 for the first time in human history, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World proposed by Kazakhstan.

I suggested this idea six years ago here in Washington during our first summit.

Secondly, the problem related to the Iranian nuclear program is virtually removed from the global agenda.

Thirdly, the establishment of the Low-Enriched Uranium Bank in Kazakhstan under the agreement with the IAEA is of vital importance.

It allows all countries wishing to develop and use peaceful nuclear energy to do so without violating the non-proliferation regime.

Fourthly, the five nuclear powers signed a Protocol on negative assurances to the Treaty on the nuclear-weapons-free zone in Central Asia.

Finally, security measures to protect hundreds of kilograms of nuclear materials from reaching international terrorists have been consolidated.

It is important to consider how to maintain this format of multilateral dialogue on nuclear security and continue to conduct them on a regular basis.

Dear colleagues!

Despite all efforts, humanity still stands on the brink of nuclear self-destruction.

While the arrows of the “Doomsday Clock” are frozen, they are still at the same point as they were in the most critical period of the Cold War.

The phantom of a global war has again been circling over our planet.

The nuclear non-proliferation process is marking time.

The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has not yet entered into force.

The testing of nuclear weapons and missiles is happening on the Korean peninsula.

A number of politicians publicly discuss who can “wipe others into nuclear dust” and who can “strike first”.

Many have started to quickly forget a simple truth.

In the nuclear age, no one will win a global war.

All will lose, because our planet will be destroyed!

Humankind’s central task should be to become a world free from the threat of war as a means of interstate relations.

This is the only way we will ensure a breakthrough in promoting genuine and sustainable nuclear security of the planet.

This is the primary meaning of my MANIFESTO “THE WORLD: 21st CENTURY”.

I presented it yesterday at the meeting at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

It will be published and distributed in the United Nations.

In this manifesto, I am proposing to adopt a comprehensive program “21st CENTURY: A WORLD WITHOUT WAR”.

It is important to adapt a regime of non-proliferation and disarmament to contemporary conditions by including into it all the de jure and de facto nuclear states.

It is necessary to reconfigure the international disarmament process and to prohibit the use of scientific discoveries for the creation of new weapons of mass destruction.

Urgent measures are required to reduce would-be conflicts in all the hot spots of the planet.

It is of great importance to overcome such a vestige of militarism as the existence of military blocs.

A necessary condition for a world without war - is, in the first place, a fair paradigm of global competition in the sphere of international finance, trade and development.

Further strengthening of global nuclear security relies on restoring trust and dialogue, especially between nuclear powers.

I sincerely hope that this appeal will be heard by all world leaders.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

The discovery of the energy of atom fission was a fruit of human genius.

But using this discovery for military purposes is the result of artful carelessness of people.

We have a chance to correct this mistake of the 20th century.

I call upon all states not to weaken joint efforts to combat the threat of self-destruction of the planet.

Renunciation of war and nuclear weapons would be an act of supreme wisdom of humanity in the 21st century.

Now, under the auspices of the UN, there is a need to create a counter-terrorism global network with the participation of all nations of the world.

That is the only way we can win this undeclared war.

All of this requires more cooperation between countries and organisations.

It is unthinkable without the trust of all members of the nuclear club.

And it is time to design a new format for that club, where all states that de facto possess nuclear weapons are included.

The new club would take the responsibility for nuclear disarmament.

To those who ignore international solutions, drastic measures of coercion should be applied.

We need a full audit of all international treaties.

We must bring them to a common denominator in line with new realities. Currently in international law there are no clear criteria and standards allowing intervention in affairs of a state and to compel it to comply with adopted agreements.

Some time ago Barack Obama supported the “Global Zero” initiative of a group of politicians and military experts on a phased and total elimination of nuclear weapons by 2030.

An absolute majority of international public opinion stands with this goal for the complete prohibition of nuclear weapons.

In this respect, we believe the holding of nuclear security summits should continue.

This is the only way we can change the world, leaving a safer planet for future generations.

Thank you for your attention!