Kazakhstan, 2013

On behalf of the

Republic of Kazakhstan, I should like first to

congratulate His Excellency Mr. John Ashe on his

election as the President of the General Assembly at its

sixty-eighth session and to wish him every success in

his important functions. I should also like to take this

opportunity to express our profound gratitude to His

Excellency Mr. Vuk Jeremi., President of the General

Assembly at its sixty-seventh session, for his able

stewardship, energy and dedication in finding solutions

to critical international challenges.

Since we met here at the United Nations a year

ago the world situation has not improved but, on the

contrary, has deteriorated, becoming more fragile and

vulnerable to new risks and threats. A growing number

of States in the Middle East and Africa, which were

making steady progress, both economically and socially,

are now witnessing regression. Some Asian States are

facing similar risks of destabilization. The number of

post-conflict countries is also on the rise, inevitably

affecting global development in an interconnected

world. Never before has the need been more compelling

for equal partnership and the participation of all

Member States, based on mutual respect and norms as

embodied in the principles of the Charter of the United

Nations and international law. The United Nations, by

the power invested in it by its Member States, stands out

as our unquestioned leading entity on the world stage.

Kazakhstan strongly condemns the use of chemical

weapons in Syria, as confirmed by the findings of

an independent investigation by the United Nations

mission, and regards it as a crime against humanity. We

support the adoption of a Security Council resolution

on Syria that would stipulate strict compliance with

a concerted decision on the elimination of chemical

weapons in that country and the conduct of regular

inspections of that process.

We express our hope that the accession of Syria to

the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,

Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons

and on Their Destruction, as well as the placement of

such weapons under international control, will preclude

the possibility of their repeated use and will contribute

towards the end of the long-standing and bloody conflict

in Syria. We call for the earliest possible convening

of an international conference on the settlement of

that conflict, with the aim of ending the violence and

determining Syria’s political future through dialogue

and reconciliation.

The current situation in the nuclear disarmament

process also does not encourage confidence in a more

peaceful future. While we participated actively in

yesterday’s High-level Meeting, we stress once again

now from the rostrum of the General Assembly that our

country has a special moral authority to champion the

cause of nuclear abolition. By closing the Semipalatinsk

nuclear test site soon after our independence in 1991

and renouncing the fourth-largest nuclear arsenal,

Kazakhstan made a unique contribution in the

multilateral effort to achieve a world free of nuclear

weapons.

We believe that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation

of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which remains the

cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime, must reach

full universalization, with the strict implementation

of national obligations in accordance with the three

fundamental pillars of the Treaty — non-proliferation,

the peaceful use of nuclear energy and

disarmament — in a balanced way. We call on all

non-NPT countries possessing nuclear weapons to sign

the Treaty and on all States parties not to withdraw.

The entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-

Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) should become an important

catalyst in the non-proliferation process, promoting the

effective implementation of the NPT. We urge those

countries that have not yet done so to sign and ratify that

important document. The General Assembly resolution

initiated by Kazakhstan establishing 29 August as the

International Day against Nuclear Tests (resolution

64/35) matches the goals and objectives for the entry

into force of the CTBT.

The Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in

Central Asia, which came into force in March 2009,

represents an important contribution by the Central

Asian countries to international and regional security.

It is the first nuclear-weapon-free zone established in

the northern hemisphere and shares common borders

with two major nuclear Powers. It is also the first such

zone where previously nuclear weapons had existed.

Kazakhstan welcomes the willingness of the five

permanent members of the Security Council to hold

a dialogue on the Additional Protocol with the five

countries in the zone and to provide negative assurances

as soon as possible.

Kazakhstan supports the early convening of the

conference on the establishment of a Middle East zone

free of weapons of mass destruction under the auspices

of the United Nations and calls upon all States in the

region actively to cooperate to make that important

undertaking possible.

In order to take further decisive actions to eliminate

the nuclear threat, President Nursultan Nazarbaev of

the Republic of Kazakhstan has proposed the adoption

of a universal declaration for a nuclear-weapon-free

world, which would be an important step towards a

nuclear-weapons prohibition convention, and thereby

achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world. We count on

Member States to finalize and submit a draft resolution

on the universal declaration of the General Assembly at

this session.

We support an immediate political and diplomatic

settlement of the situation concerning the Iranian

nuclear programme on the basis of strict compliance

with the provisions of the NPT and the International

Atomic Energy Agency regulations. In order to

ensure progress in the dialogue between the group

of international mediators and Iran, Kazakhstan

hosted two rounds of negotiations in Almaty this

year. Specific agreements have yet to be reached, but

we are confident that a mutually acceptable outcome

is possible. We believe that concrete actions by Iran

to ensure the transparency and peaceful nature of its

nuclear programme, along with reciprocal constructive

steps on the part of the group of six, will advance

the settlement of the problem, rather than relying on

sanctions alone. We all witnessed the latest positive

signs of understanding on that issue during the current

session and wholeheartedly welcomed them, remaining

fully available to contribute to a productive negotiation

process.

We express our grave concern about North Korea’s

nuclear programme. Attempts to engage in the secret

development of nuclear weapons in violation of

international obligations cannot be justified under

any circumstances. At the same time, Kazakhstan is

against a military solution to the problem, since we

are convinced that only the peaceful settlement of that

crisis, within the framework of the Six-Party Talks, can

ensure peace and stability in North-East Asia.

Kazakhstan is genuinely interested in the

sustainable and stable development of Afghanistan

through its transformation into a politically stable and

economically viable State in keeping with the decisions

of the ministerial conference of the Istanbul Process held

in Almaty last April. We support the rapid integration

of Afghanistan into the regional framework so as to

promote its speedy social and economic recovery.

The Asian continent is transforming itself into a

global powerhouse for the twenty-first century, with

its production of more than 57 per cent of global

gross domestic product — a trend that is expected to

increase. However, that growth could be jeopardized by

an aggravation of existing conflicts, illegal migration,

drug trafficking, territorial claims, separatism,

religious extremism and terrorism. To cope with those

challenges, Asia needs a regional security architecture.

Kazakhstan, as the host of the Conference on Interaction

and Confidence-building Measures in Asia, is striving

to maximize opportunities for joint decision-making on

security and cooperation in Asia.

Kazakhstan is committed to the fundamental

principles of international law, among which respect

for human rights and freedom, based on impartiality

and non-politicization, is deemed pivotal for a

sustainable, universal and effective global architecture

for protecting human rights. That, among other things,

requires appropriate budgeting and the strengthening of

the Human Rights Council and its special procedures,

in particular the universal periodic review and the

institution of special rapporteurs, as well as supporting

the capacity and authority of United Nations human

rights mechanisms.

We need to implement civil, political, economic,

social and cultural rights at the national, regional

and global levels while paying particular attention

to vulnerable groups. Kazakhstan, as a multiethnic

and multi-confessional country, can facilitate a

comprehensive dialogue among civilizations within the

United Nations and various international and regional

organizations. The Congress of Leaders of World and

Traditional Religions, which Kazakhstan convenes

every three years, contributes to global and regional

security by mobilizing the spiritual and moral potential

of world religions to mitigate international conflicts

so as to prevent confrontations between faiths and

cultures.

Additionally, at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the

General Assembly proclaimed the period between

2013 and 2022 as the International Decade for the

Rapprochement of Cultures. Its official inauguration

was held in Astana last month, thereby paving the way

for cultural diversity and tolerance. Kazakhstan calls

on Member States actively to participate in the events

of the Decade and to support synergy between the

Alliance of Civilizations and the Congress of Leaders

of World and Traditional Religions.

The consequences of the global financial and

economic crisis have led to the conclusion that the

world needs a common policy of global governance.

Kazakhstan therefore welcomes the adoption of the

resolution on the United Nations in global economic

governance (resolution 67/289), which recognizes the

value of cooperation and interaction between the United

Nations and various regional and subregional groups.

Over the years, Kazakhstan has hosted the Astana

Economic Forum, which is now a reputed international

platform that covers the most pressing and ever-

expanding issues of the world economy. The first

World Anti-Crisis Conference was held as part of the

Forum last May in Astana. The Astana Declaration, the

recommendations of the Astana Economic Forum to

the Group of 20 leaders and the road map of the World

Anti-Crisis Plan were adopted as outcome documents.

The second World Anti-Crisis Conference, which is to

be held next May in Kazakhstan, will draft the world

anti-crisis plan to combat the financial and economic

crisis so as to ensure long-term sustainable economic

growth.

We are pleased to note the commendable work of

the United Nations in implementing the agreements

reached at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable

Development held in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20), and

Kazakhstan is actively contributing to that work. A

national plan for transitioning to a green economy has

been developed, with programmes in key sectors of

the economy — energy, water, utilities, agriculture,

industry and biodiversity. Kazakhstan has also initiated

the transition to a green economy in Central Asia within

the framework of the regional Intergovernmental

Commission on Sustainable Development. The Rio+20

Conference supported the Kazakhstan-sponsored

Green Bridge Partnership Programme as a voluntary

framework for mutually beneficial cooperation between

the developed and developing world in the interests of

sustainable development. Next Monday, 30 September,

Kazakhstan will host the International Conference on

the Green Bridge Partnership Programme in Astana

with the participation of regional countries, the

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the

Pacific, the Economic Commission for Europe and

other stakeholders. At that Conference the programme

will be institutionalized and its secretariat established.

Kazakhstan has made voluntary commitments to

reduce greenhouse-gas emissions within the framework

of the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions

and investing in low-carbon development, all of which

constitute Kazakhstan’s contribution to the Secretary-

General’s global Sustainable Energy for All initiative

and other initiatives aimed at sustainable development.

I am pleased to inform members that Kazakhstan’s

capital, Astana, will host the international exhibition

EXPO 2017, entitled “Energy for the Future”, which

is designed to disseminate best practices in the

field of sustainable energy. On the basis of national

consultations, we have developed a number of

recommendations on development goals for the post-

2015 agenda and submitted them to the United Nations.

We believe that those Millennium Development Goals

that were not reached must be included in the post-

2015 agenda, in conjunction with the objectives of

sustainable development. International partnerships

must be strengthened for South-South and triangular

cooperation so as to complement official development

assistance activities. Strengthening resilience in order

to withstand external factors such as climate change

and the financial and food crises will have to gain

priority under the new agenda.

In that regard, Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the last

and symbolic twentieth session of the Commission on

Sustainable Development effected its official transition

and handover to the High-Level Political Forum on

Sustainable Development. The establishment of the

High-Level Political Forum is historic as a universal

platform to meet current realities, closely linked with

global security, which justifies the rationale for a

direct nexus between the High-Level Political Forum

and the Security Council over the issues of food, the

environment, energy and water security.

For the first time since its independence,

Kazakhstan has announced its candidature for a

non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the

period 2017 to 2018, based on the principles of fair

and equitable geographical rotation and the adequate

representation of all States members of the Asia-Pacific

regional group. The experience we have gained from

recently chairing a number of regional and international

organizations and forums, such as the Organization for

Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization

of Islamic Cooperation, the Conference on Interaction

and Confidence-building Measures in Asia, the

Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai

Cooperation Organization, the Collective Security

Treaty Organization and others, gives us unique

access to a wide and diverse range of experiences and

approaches to solving international security problems

addressed by the Security Council.

If elected, Kazakhstan will unfailingly be united

with others to contribute to the maintenance of

international peace and security and will support

efforts to reform the Council, transforming it into a

more representative and transparent body that can

effectively address the full range of challenges and

threats facing the world today. We therefore count on

the broad support of Member States for our candidacy

to the Security Council for the period 2017 to 2018.

Last year, Kazakhstan celebrated the twentieth

anniversary of its accession to the United Nations,

and this year the twentieth anniversary of a United

Nations presence in our country. Our Government

and people strongly support the United Nations in all

its programmes. Kazakhstan acts as a geographical

and political bridge between North and South, Europe

and Asia. For that reason, it is ideally suited to foster

cooperative initiatives in that vast regional landscape.

Promoting Kazakhstan to the status of a middle-income

country represents both challenges and opportunities for

the development agenda, shifting the focus from being

a recipient country to that of a regional development

partner.

Regional cooperation is critical to ensuring national

and regional security. Persistent conflict and instability

in Afghanistan also have an effect on Central Asia.

Poverty, unemployment and growing disparities in

economic and social development in the countries of

Central Asia are strong factors indicating the potential

for new mass population movements, instability,

environmental degradation, drug trafficking, religious

extremism and terrorism, all of which must be addressed

through regional cooperation. Such collaboration can

be facilitated through the establishment of a United

Nations multi-country centre in Kazakhstan in the city

of Almaty as a hub for promoting regional development,

security and stability. Kazakhstan is ready to bear

all the costs for the construction, equipping and

maintenance of such a United Nations office bridging

the gap between Vienna and Bangkok.

The 20 years of Kazakhstan’s membership and

cooperation with the United Nations have been

characterized by the highest dedication to the ideals and

principles of the world Organization. We will continue

to play the role of an engaged and responsible Member

State, ready to take on increased responsibilities and

consistently implement them in full.