Kazakhstan: A Quiet Power

As the international community focuses on North Korea and Iran, Kazakhstan has quietly continued to play an important and constructive role in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and materials. For a nation critical to yet still largely ignored by the Western world, we thought it wise to highlight a number of developments in Kazakhstan and Central Asia from the last few weeks. 1) New Zealand has pledged $350,000 to prevent nuclear smuggling by setting up radiation monitors on Kazakhstan’s borders under an agreement with the United States. This is the latest in a series of steps the Kazakhstan government has agreed to, including hosting CTBTO/ISS and IAEA exercises, to contribute to nuclear security. To be sure, $350,000 is a relatively small amount but it is definitely a step in the right direction. 2) As reported in the Wall Street Journal, Kazakhstan recently approached the White House to volunteer to host an international “nuclear fuel bank” where nations that renounce nuclear weapons can purchase fissile fuel for nuclear energy reactors. This is a bold proposal that has potential to help overcome several perceived weaknesses of the NPT Treaty and current international regulations. Obviously this proposal is in an infant stage, yet the Obama administration should give it proper attention and deliberation. 3) A Central Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone entered into force on March 21, 2009. The agreement, which includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, forbids the development, manufacture, stockpiling, acquisition or possession of any nuclear explosive device within the zone. Peaceful uses of nuclear energy are permitted if placed under enhanced IAEA safeguards. With Kazakhstan playing a major role in the Zone’s creation, the agreement makes tremendous progress in making a critical region with global power competition more stable. Kazakhstan’s role in the developments listed reemphasizes its critical role in global non-proliferation efforts. The United States and international community need to continue to encourage Kazakhstan’s proactive approach to nuclear security and maintaining a nuclear weapons free zone in Central Asia.