IRF students to support Kazakhstan’s initiatives on nuclear non-proliferatio

Nuclear disarmament issues - from the  origins of the idea to contemporary initiatives of our country – were discussed on a round table organized by the Al-FarabiKazNU. Participants of the conference wereAmbassador PetkoDraganov, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Head ofUN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, the First Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Kazakhstan’s MFA Ambassador-at-large, Honored Professor of the Al-FarabiKazNU, H.E. Ms. AkmaralArystanbekova, the Head of Public Foundation “Polygon August 29” NurlanBoztayev, representatives of UN departments and services in Almaty, diplomatic missions, international organizations, academic community, professors and students of the international relations department.

The round table was opened by welcoming speeches of the first vice-rector Burkitbayev M.M. and VlastimilSamek.

Ambassador Draganov discussed practical sides of holding diplomatic negotiations in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The diplomat is convinced that only mutual openness of states and readiness to observe the disarmament questions might be a foundation for carrying them outin a successful way.

An interesting report was presented by H.E. ArystanbekovaA.Kh., who was an immediate participant of Kazakhstan’s anti-nuclear policy formation in the UN. AkmaralKhaidarovna told about all intricacies during the adoption  of the Treaty of Nuclear-free Zone in Central Asia, which was then backed  up by the UN General Assembly Resolution with a majority of voices.

During the round table a distinct role of an academic society and its potential to act against use of  nuclear weaponsby educational activities and broad involvement of Kazakhstani youth to this issue was noted. International Relations faculty student SultanbekKaiym shared an idea about creating a permanent platform for discussions on the basis of Al-FarabiKazNU to promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation issues.

The round table concluded with an active exchange of ideas, recommendations and comments of guests, participating to it.

Karimzhan Shakirov – Dean of the

International Relations faculty

Al-Farabi KazNU