Five Former Soviet Republics Prepare Treaty Establishing Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone in Central Asia

Work finished yesterday on a treaty establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone covering the Central Asian nations of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Jan. 23, 2004).

“The creation of a zone free of nuclear weapons significantly assists in supporting and strengthening peace and security on a global and regional level,” officials from the five former Soviet Republics said in a statement following their meeting in Uzbekistan.

A signing ceremony is expected to be conducted at the former nuclear weapons test site of Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan, AFP reported (Agence France-Presse, Feb. 9).

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