The former world's fourth-largest nuclear arsenal: Kazakhstan

Nuclear non-proliferation remains the cornerstone of Kazakhstan's foreign policy.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan inherited the world's fourth-largest nuclear arsenal, yet it became one of the few countries in the world to voluntarily give up its nuclear weapons. At that time, Kazakhstan possessed over 100 missiles, 1,040 nuclear warheads, 40 strategic bombers, and 370 nuclear cruise missiles.

Kazakhstan was also the only Muslim-majority country with such formidable nuclear capability, ranking fourth globally at the time.

April 24, 1995, marked a significant day in Kazakhstan's history. On that day, the final nuclear warhead was finally removed from Kazakhstan, and the world's fourth-largest nuclear arsenal was officially dismantled.

Kazakhstan is among the few countries whose people and environment have suffered the most severe damage due to nuclear testing. The Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in northern Kazakhstan experienced more than 450 air, ground, and underground nuclear explosions over a period of more than four decades.

In the documentary film "Kazakhstan: The Golden Age," directed by Oliver Stone, Kazakhstan's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, recalled that period. According to him, several prominent figures—including former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and U.S. Secretary of State James Baker—had visited Kazakhstan to discuss the fate of its nuclear arsenal.

"They all came asking: 'What are you going to do with these missiles?'" Nazarbayev said.

He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, led at the time by Tokayev, received several letters from Islamic countries suggesting that Kazakhstan retain its nuclear capabilities. Later, Yasser Arafat, representing Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, visited Kazakhstan to inquire about this matter.

"He said he was coming on behalf of our friend. Of course, I never considered selling those missiles. I simply said: 'Maintaining these missiles is extremely expensive; Kazakhstan cannot afford it.' He asked how much it would cost. I joked that it would be $20 billion. But he took me seriously and said he would relay my message," Nazarbayev recounted.

On August 29, 1991, Kazakh President Nazarbayev decided to close the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.

Source: Central Asia Times

Author: Andrey Matveyev

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863006619461696/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author