NEWS

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

            The Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically repudiates certain news media reports alleging Kazakhstan’s connection to a possible deal to supply uranium to Islamic Republic of Iran and considers them groundless insinuations damaging the reputation of our country.

            As is known, Kazakhstan has voluntarily renounced the world’s fourth largest nuclear and missile arsenal, shut down the world’s second largest Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, and is one of the recognized leaders of the global process of disarmament and nonproliferation.

            Kazakhstan is firmly committed to the principles of nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and tough control over the turnover of dual use materials. As a non-nuclear weapon state, Kazakhstan has been unwaveringly committed and remains committed to the principles of the Treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, the UN Convention on physical protection of nuclear materials, as well as the principles and rules of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

            All the operations with nuclear materials in Kazakhstan, including our cooperation regarding peaceful use of atomic energy with foreign countries, are subject to IAEA comprehensive safeguards.

            In this connection, Kazakhstan expects the IAEA to give an appropriate assessment of the information being disseminated by the news media.

Date of issue: 2009-12-30