Astana hosts Pugwash conference
Secretary-General of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs Paolo Cotta-Ramusino said in a welcoming speech that for some time, Kazakhstan suffered strong negative effects of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan has been a very important element in the cessation of nuclear tests. (...) Participants of the conference will discuss the disarmament and non-proliferation issues, which are very important. They want no country to have nuclear weapons. They will discuss the nuclear risks as there are 15-16,000 weapon units. Opinions and calculations vary, however, the conclusion is only one - that's too much. Moreover, they will discuss the total destruction of nuclear weapons.
President of the Pugwash Conferences, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jayantha Dhanapala noted for his part that the conference is timed to the 60th Anniversary of the movement, which in 1955 preceded the London Manifesto signed by Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein. This was, probably, the last historical document Einstein signed before death. Jayantha Dhanapala added that 'our presence here is underpinned by the fundamental principles contained in that document'.
The scientists noted President Nursultan Nazarbayev's contribution to the process of nuclear disarmament. Jayantha Dhanapala said that they are talking about creating a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia. According to the President of the Pugwash Conferences, he had the honor to attend that UN meeting, where this idea was first voiced. He stressed that they saw how Kazakhstan had become a dialogue platform not only for the nuclear disarmament issues but also for such conflicts as in Syria because the Astana process contributes to the search for the political solution to this conflict.
The Pugwash movement founded in 1957 brings together scholars, political and public figures to work toward peace, disarmament, security and scientific cooperation throughout the world. The movement played an important role in development and adoption of key multilateral treaties for disarmament and security such as the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, chemical and biological weapons conventions, the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, etc. In 1995, the organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Conference in Astana spans four days.