Astana, May 29 (EFE).- Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, whose country gave up its strategic nuclear arsenal following the collapse of the Soviet Union, on Wednesday expressed concern over the growing risk of nuclear weapons being used.
Tokayev warns of rising global nuclear threat
“While conventional conflicts demand urgent attention, we must also focus on even more challenging perspective: the growing strain between nuclear-armed states,” Tokayev said during the opening of the plenary session of the Astana International Forum.
The Kazakh leader pointed out that nine countries currently possess a combined stockpile of more than 13,000 nuclear warheads.
“Experts warn that the risk of use is increasing – whether by miscalculation, accident, or escalation,” he stressed.
Tokayev underscored that even a single detonation would have “disastrous consequences.”
“Scientists estimate that beyond the immediate destruction, it could trigger a global climate disaster and destroy harvests,” he explained.
Kazakhstan’s nuclear legacy and commitment to peace
He noted that Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, “still faces the consequences of 450 nuclear tests conducted on our territory” during the Soviet era.
“We relinquished our inherited nuclear arsenal in the name of peace. Today, we continue our advócacy for non-proliferation of nuclear and biological weapons,” he declared.
Tokayev lamented that conflicts and wars continue to spread, with 52 countries engaged in armed combat last year alone.
“Meanwhile, the economic impact of violence reached $19 trillion – nearly 13.5% of global GDP,” he emphasized.
He also warned that modern conflicts “are increasingly protracted and complex.”
“They often involve a multitude of actors, including non-state groups, and are fuelled by deep-seated grievances,” he observed, adding that such factors make achieving lasting peace between warring parties more difficult.
Kazakhstan renews disarmament call amid global tensions
Meanwhile, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko recalled in an interview with EFE that Kazakhstan voluntarily got rid of the fourth-largest nuclear arsenal in the world and closed the Soviet-era Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, where hundreds of nuclear tests were conducted.
“Kazakhstan is promoting the initiative to build a world without nuclear weapons, and we are one of the most active participants in this movement. Therefore, today, when geopolitical tensions in the world, unfortunately, are present, restraint is necessary in the presence of the risk of using nuclear warheads,” he said. EFE