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Al-Gaddafi urges Nazarbayev to keep nuclear arsenal – UN UnderSG

Former Libyan leader proposed to keep nuclear arsenals on its territory as the "first Moslem atomic bomb" and pledged to provide multi-billion aid to Kazakhstan

ASTANA, November 29 (Itar-Tass) — Former Libyan leader Muammar Al-Gaddafi offered aid to Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev to keeping the nuclear arsenal that Kazakhstan inherited from the Soviet Union, Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev said.

Speaking at the first Nazarbayev Conference on Thursday, Tokayev said, “In the beginning of 1992 the Kazakhstani Foreign Ministry get a letter from Al-Gaddafi by diplomatic channels. The letter was written to Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Al-Gaddafi proposed to keep nuclear arsenals on its territory as the first Moslem atomic bomb [as Al-Gaddafi wrote] and pledged to provide multi-billion aid to Kazakhstan.”

Tokayev called for making public the contents of the letter “to allow contemporaries and future generations of political scientists and scientists to better realise the dynamics of this difficult period”. Tokayev also noted that despite big economic difficulties Kazakhstan had decided to give up nuclear arms. “This proved that being a real statesman Nursultan Nazarbayev is guided by strategic reasons. As the nation’s leader he possesses of long-sightedness,” the director-general of the U.N. Office in Geneva stressed.

The first Nazarbayev Conference, “New Kazakhstan in New World”, is designed to show Nazarbayev’s role in developing the independent Kazakhstan. Opening the forum, director of Nazarbayev Centre Kanat Saudabayev said he was grateful to foreign guests, statesmen, political scientists and scientists for taking part in the forum. “I believe that this proves the world’s big interest in Kazakhstan’s phenomenon. Under the leadership of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the republic turned into an economically strong and democratic state, a notorious and respectful partner,” he stressed.

Over 1,500 applications, including from scientists from Italy, Great Britain, Russia, Romania, Singapore, the United States and France, have been given to take part in the forum. The forum will last till November 30.

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