Astana, 29 August 2018

1.On the occasion of the International Day against Nuclear Tests proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, we reaffirm our commitment to realizing a world free of nuclear testing and renew our resolve to achieve the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). It is a symbolic day for Kazakhstan because of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in 1991.

2.A historic decision to close the Semipalatinsk testing site, which was made by the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev on 29 August 1991, sent a strong political message and contributed to the international efforts that led to the adoption of the CTBT in 1996. Over the years, Kazakhstan has provided strong support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) and demonstrated determination to achieve the elimination of nuclear weapons. In 2008, the CTBTO held the first large-scale on-site inspection (OSI) integrated field exercise in Semey. In 2015-2017 Kazakhstan, together with Japan, сo-chaired the CTBT Article XIV Process to facilitate speedy entry into force of the Treaty.

3.Kazakhstan, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2017-2018, is tirelessly supporting international efforts aimed at strengthening the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, highlighting the danger that nuclear weapons pose to global peace and stability.

4.Kazakhstan and the CTBTO invite all States to take part in commemorating the International Day against Nuclear Tests and advance the much needed entry into force of the CTBT, which is considered to be a crucial instrument of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

5.We believe that the International Conference of the CTBTO Youth Group and Group of Eminent Persons under the theme «Remembering the past, looking to the future» (the Astana Conference) will be helpful in raising public awareness of the dangerous consequences of the use of nuclear testing .

6.We dedicate ourselves individually and jointly to realizing this goal towards nuclear disarmament.

7.We call on all States Signatories to spare no effort to ensure that the nuclear test ban becomes legally binding by achieving the entry into force of the CTBT. We also call on all States to continue the moratoria on nuclear test explosions.

8.We urge those States that have not yet signed or ratified the Treaty to do so without delay.We especially call on the remaining eight CTBT Annex 2 States, whose ratifications are needed for the Treaty's entry into force, to demonstrate leadership by taking this important step.

9.It is high time to bring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty into force. We owe it to ourselves, and to future generations.