Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 5 / Trend , G.Dadashova /
Uzbekistan had sought cooperation from all States in the region in creating a nuclear-weapon-free zone, with a view to promoting the development of all its peoples, Uzbek Permanent Representative to the UN Murad Askarov said at the meeting of the Second Committee of the 66th UN General Assembly on Oct.4.
He addressed the event on behalf of the countries of Central Asian States, the UN reported.
"The opening of the zone had been marked by a celebration in Semipalatinsk, as States parties to the agreement had undertaken commitments to ban production of nuclear weapons and their components. The zone was the first of its kind in the northern hemisphere and the first international security agreement to encompass all Central Asian States," Askarov said.
The Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (CANWFZ) treaty is a legally binding commitment by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan not to manufacture, acquire, test, or possess nuclear weapons. The treaty was signed on 8 September 2006 at Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan.
The Central Asian States had noted the importance of bringing together countries of a region. They also called on other States to provide assistance to rehabilitate nuclear-contaminated areas.
Askarov also called on nuclear-weapon States to provide negative guarantees against the use of those weapons against non-nuclear-armed States. Central Asian States also called on all to advance non-proliferation discussions.