Vilnius, September 16, 2025 – The Embassy of Kazakhstan in Lithuania hosted an expert round table titled “Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament: The Kazakhstan Way”, dedicated to the International Day against Nuclear Tests, observed annually on August 29.

According to the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Timur Urazayev, the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in 1991 was not only a historical milestone but also an unprecedented act that established Kazakhstan as a recognized leader of the global anti-nuclear movement. By voluntarily renouncing the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal, Kazakhstan made a conscious choice in favor of peace, security, and trust. The country has consistently upheld its commitment to nuclear disarmament and made a practical contribution to strengthening the global non-proliferation regime, actively cooperating with the UN, the IAEA, and other international organizations.

Special attention during the discussion was given to the environmental consequences of nuclear testing, including on the territory of Kazakhstan. In this context, nuclear energy expert from the international environmental organization Bellona, Alexander Nikitin, delivered a presentation titled “Nuclear Legacy – Environmental Consequences of Military Nuclear Programs in Russia and Kazakhstan.”

Additionally, participants heard a report by nuclear energy expert Dmitry Gorchakov on the topic: “The Current International Situation in the Field of Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.”

“New initiatives on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation by countries with a positive history in these matters, such as Kazakhstan, can only be welcomed. The issue of the inadmissibility of nuclear escalation must constantly remain in focus so that it does not become a new norm.” said D. Gorchakov.

Gediminas Sereika, Head of the Arms Control Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, emphasized the importance of Kazakhstan’s international initiatives and confirmed Lithuania’s interest in exchanging experience and strengthening the non-proliferation regime.

Among the participants were Members of the Seimas of Lithuania Julius Sabatauskas,           Simonas Gentvilas, as well as representatives of the academic community and NGOs.

As part of the event, Ambassador Urazayev informed participants about the main messages of the State-of-the-Nation Address by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, delivered on September 8, 2025. Participants also received special information booklets in Lithuanian and English dedicated to this topic.

Later that day, the photo exhibition opened at the Seimas (Parliament) of Lithuania, focusing on the theme of nuclear disarmament. The exhibition features 24 photographs taken at the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, showing the impact of decades of testing on human health and the environment, as well as artworks by anti-nuclear activist Karipbek Kuyukov. The exhibition will be open to visitors until September 22, 2025.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-vilnius/press/news/details/1069108?lang=kk