On the Discussion “Twenty Years of Renunciation of Nuclear Weapons by Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine: Lessons Learned and Prospects for Nuclear Disarmament”

11-10-2013

On October 10, 2013 thematic discussion in the format of a round table titled “Twenty years of renunciation of nuclear weapons by Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine: lessons learned and prospects for nuclear disarmament” took place at the UN Headquarters in New York at Belarus’ initiative. The event was jointly organized by Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine in cooperation with the international non-governmental organization “Reaching Critical Will”.

In his statement during the discussion First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Mr.Alexandr Mikhnevich noted that Belarus’ renunciation of the most sophisticated nuclear military arsenal was a matter of principle and has never been used as the subject for political bargaining.

By welcoming Belarus’ accession to NPT UK, USA and Russia had offered relevant security assurances to Belarus which were contained in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, Belarusian diplomat emphasized. At the same time Mr.Mikhnevich draw specific attention to the negative trend of loose interpretation of key provisions of the Memorandum by some nuclear-weapon states. In Belarus’ opinion these precedents are providing negative signals both to the countries that have already chosen nuclear a free option as well as to those who still consider the possibilities of complete nuclear disarmament.



Ms.Virginia Gamba, Director of the Office for Disarmament Affairs and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, addressed the participants of the discussion with a statement on behalf and at the request of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The leadership of the UN Secretariat emphasized the contribution of the three states to the strengthening of the international peace and stability by their voluntary renunciation of nuclear arsenals.

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