ASTANA, September 21, 2017 - Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko held a meeting with holders of fellowship of the UN Programme on Disarmament who arrived in Kazakhstan within the framework of a three-day visit, organized with the support of the Kazakh Foreign Service. The delegation included diplomats under the age of 35 representing 27 countries.

During the meeting Vassilenko briefed the participants about the initiatives of President Nursultan Nazarbayev on strengthening peace and global security announced at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in 2015 as well as during other international events. The Kazakh diplomat stressed the historic importance of opening of the first IAEA Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank on the territory of our country which will help to promote the development of a peaceful atom use and strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. In his speech, Vassilenko paid special attention to explaining Astana's priorities in the UN Security Council promulgated in the political address to the members of the Councilfrom January 10, 2017.

UN fellows also took interest in the information on the ATOM Project initiated by the President of Kazakhstan in 2012 to raise awareness of the world society about the threats and consequences of nuclear weapons testing. Vassilenko encouraged the fellows to sign the Project's online petition to world leaders about the renunciation of nuclear weapons and also answered their numerous questions.

The UN Programme of Fellowship on the Disarmament was established by the General Assembly in 1978 and aims to ensure the training and capacity development of officials of Member States for their subsequent effective participation in international discussion and negotiation forums on nuclear disarmament.

The program of fellows' stay in Kazakhstan also includes a visit to Kurchatov, the territory of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, facilities of the National Nuclear Center. The fellows will also travel to Semey where they will get acquainted with the exhibits of the State Medical University Museum and visit the "Stronger than Death" monument on Polkovnichy Island.