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Title:  "Kazakhstan Asks for Help in Dismantling Nuclear Weapons." Kazakh Foreign Minister Tuleutai Suleymenov told the UN General Assembly that Kazakhstan needs about $2 billion to cover the dismantling of its nuclear weapons. (931005)

Author:  AITA, JUDY (USIA STAFF WRITER)
Date:  19931005

Text:
*EUR208

10/05/93

KAZAKHSTAN ASKS FOR HELP IN DISMANTLING NUCLEAR WEAPONS (Foreign minister at the United Nations) (580) By Judy Aita USIA United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- Kazakhstan needs about $2,000 million dollars to cover the dismantling of its nuclear weapons, Foreign Minister Tuleutai Suleymenov told the U.N. General Assembly October 5.

Acknowledging that the funds "are very hard to be found," Suleymenov said that the money has "to be used not only to cover the dismantling of nuclear weapons but the elimination of the consequences of nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk testing ground and the solution of the Aral sea crisis as well."

The foreign minister said that almost half a million people have been exposed to the effects of 466 nuclear tests over the years at the now closed testing ground.

In a speech during the assembly's general debate, Suleymenov discussed his country's foreign and domestic policies and its vision for the United Nations. Kazakhstan has been a member of the U.N. for two years.

The foreign minister said that Kazakhstan is promoting the development of medium- and small-sized businesses, attracting foreign investment, and liberalizing foreign trade.

He said that new laws will decrease export-import duties and remove limitations on free trade. "Doubtlessly such transformations cannot be introduced within one or two years, but Kazakhstan intends to carry them out as soon as possible."

Deals with the Chevron corporation and other major foreign companies should show the world business community Kazakhstan's intention to attract foreign investments on mutually beneficial bases and ensure a favorable environment for them, Suleymenov said.

"The flow of foreign investments into the republic's economy steadily grows which raises our hopes in ultimate success of the reforms," the minister said.

Promoting efforts to build a system of collective security in Asia, the minister said that "the states of the Asian region have equally strong interest in the prevention and peaceful settlement of conflict as well as in the prevention of emergence of new hotbeds of regional and global tension.

He asked for endorsement of the "defense coalition forces" of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as the U.N. peacemaking force in the region and talked about the strengthening of cooperation and relations within the CIS.

"We are confident that at present no member state of the commonwealth is able to effectively pursue its internal and foreign policy in isolation from the policy of the other members of the CIS," he said.

In the Tajik conflict, he said, "joint military formations of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan managed to considerably bring down the scope of military confrontation, saved thousands of civilians' lives and provided relief for hundreds of thousands of refugees."

Suleymenov also supported the proposal of Uzbekistan president Islam Karimov for a special U.N. forum to find a solution to the problem of the Aral Sea and the Aral region.

While the United Nations cannot be engaged in every one of the conflicts in the world, the foreign minister said, "equally self-evident is the fact that the United Nations today and in the foreseeable future will remain a body to which the humanity, the world's nations, and individuals will link their aspirations for peace, development and human rights."

If the world community fails to resolves disputes early, "we will only reap the fruits similar to the events in the former Yugoslavia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Tajikistan," he said.

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File Identification:  10/05/93, EUR208
Product Name:  Wireless File
Product Code:  WF
Keywords:  SULEYMENOV, TULEUTAI; KAZAKHSTAN/Defense & Military; DISARMAMENT; NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION; NUCLEAR WEAPONS; COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS)/Defense & Military; RUSSIA/Defense & Military; CENTRAL ASIA/Defense & Milit
Thematic Codes:  1AC; 1UR
Target Areas:  EU
PDQ Text Link:  306347
USIA Notes:  *93100508.EUR