Uzbekistan, Tashkent, May 6 / Trend D. Azizov /
The representative of Uzbekistan to the UN Murad Askarov called on other regions of the world, including the Middle East, to follow the example of Central Asia and create a zone free of nuclear weapons, the UN News Center said.
Uzbek ambassador spoke at the Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in New York on behalf of the Member-States of the Treaty on the zone free of nuclear weapons in Central Asia.
He stressed that from the first years of its independence, the five states in the region began to implement one of the fundamental provisions of the NPT, envisaging the conclusion of regional treaties and agreements on the establishment of zones free from nuclear weapons.
The initiative to establish such a zone was first announced by the Uzbek President in 1993 at the 48-th session of UN General Assembly. The treaty establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons in Central Asia was signed in Semipalatinsk September 8, 2006. Its participants are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
"The conclusion of the treaty in Semipalatinsk was highly symbolic in terms of nuclear non-proliferation. One of the largest nuclear sites of our planet, which conducted 459 nuclear explosions was closed there by decision of the Kazakh Republic in 1991," the representative of Uzbekistan said.
The establishment of zones free from nuclear weapons is one of the universal instruments to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons in the world. Such zones guarantee that tens of countries undertake not to transfer or receive nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices from anyone in vast areas of the planet.
Moreover, member-countries of nuclear-free zones commit themselves not to produce or buy nuclear weapons and not receive any assistance in their manufacture by any other way.
The representative of Uzbekistan called on other nations and regions of the world to follow the example of Central Asia.
"We hope that all concerned parties will take practical actions necessary to implement the proposal to establish a zone free of nuclear weapons in the Middle East," Askarov said.
