ASTANA, November 5. /TASS/. Nuclear powers should refuse double standards in the sphere of reduction and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev said in an interview with Japanese journalists in the run-up to his official visit to Japan. Kazakhstan’s television channel Habar aired the interview on Friday.
"When we talk about reduction of nuclear weapons, not tests and not improvements, we have some kind of a double standard," Nazarbayev said.
"The nuclear powers of today should be the first to show an example. They do not reduce, they continue to improve (nuclear weapons), at the same time telling others: ‘You shouldn’t have, shouldn’t test (nuclear weapons)’. This is wrong. Precisely nuclear powers — US, Russia, China and others — should be an example: ‘We are moving toward reduction, that’s why you shouldn’t test’," the president explained.
This is very important for so-called "threshold states" that see nuclear weapons as a means to defend themselves, the Kazakhstani leader noted. "This process may get out of control, and we will have very many countries with nuclear weapons," Nazarbayev warned.
In this regard, permanent member countries of UN Security Council should "show an example themselves," he continued. "At least they should agree on common positions, that they will gradually move toward reduction by ensuring each other’s trust," he concluded.
Ban on nuclear tests
The global community should achieve ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) by all countries, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
"The treaty should be completed, all countries should sign it," Nazarbayev said. He added that CTBT "should work." "The United Nations Organization should have an opportunity to use force if someone violates it. If we adopt international treaties, and someone implements them while others don’t, there will be no effect," he noted.
The Kazakhstani leader said that "such an attribute of the Cold War as blocs should remain in the past." "Instead of this, all countries should unite and create a single coalition which would maintain peace in the world and observe the implementation of international agreements," he said.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was adopted at the 50th session of UN General Assembly on 10 September 1996. It became available for signing on 24 September 1996. As of now, 164 countries ratified CTBT, including Russia, UK, and France. Among nuclear powers that did not ratify the treaty are US and China.
Visit to Japan
Nazarbayev will make a visit to Japan on November 6-9. He will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and hold talks with Emrepor Akihito. Abe plans to discuss with Nazarbayev development of economic relations, including cooperation in nuclear energy, development of oil deposits, as well as extraction of rare earth elements. The Kazakhstani president is also expected to visit Hiroshima and make a speech there on the necessity of nuclear disarmament.