Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, hosted a critical international meeting on Friday, June 26. The conference, called the Tashkent Dialogue and held under the theme 'Secure Atomic Future: From Non-Proliferation to Risks,' discussed Central Asia's position and future as a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
According to a report from Anadolu Agency's Russian service, the event was held at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy. The organization was undertaken by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan, the Advanced Institute for International Studies within the university, and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute's Monterey campus, one of the leading U.S. think tanks.
More than 50 representatives from Uzbekistan and the U.S. attended the forum. Participants included heads of state agencies, think tank experts, representatives from scientific research institutions, and specialists in nuclear security, nonproliferation, and peaceful nuclear energy. A notable detail was the participation of former employees of the U.S. Presidential Administration and the National Security Council.
In the opening and thematic sessions, discussions covered the transformation of Central Asia's role amid changes in the global nuclear order and geopolitical landscape, security issues arising from peaceful nuclear energy development, management of nuclear and radiological risks, and strengthening physical protection and cybersecurity of nuclear facilities.
Participants noted that amid increasing geopolitical tension and strategic uncertainty, strengthening nonproliferation regimes and developing regional security mechanisms have become vitally important. The meeting emphasized that Central Asia remains the only region in the Northern Hemisphere with a legally established nuclear-weapon-free status.
In particular, the development of peaceful nuclear energy, improvement of national regulatory systems, training of qualified personnel, and increased cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) came to the fore. Experts stated that the region's nuclear-weapon-free status is not only a renunciation but also a high responsibility for the safe handling of nuclear materials and technologies.
History of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty
According to data from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the foundation of the nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty in Central Asia was laid on September 8, 2006. Signed at the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan, the treaty constitutes a legally binding commitment for the region's countries.
The document, also known as the Semipalatinsk Treaty, stipulates that Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan shall not produce, acquire, test, or possess nuclear weapons. Ratified by all five Central Asian countries, the treaty entered into force on March 21, 2009.
The states parties voluntarily and explicitly prohibited the possession of nuclear weapons, components, or explosive devices on their territories. The implementation of the treaty is monitored by the IAEA, as the parties are obliged to sign both a comprehensive safeguards agreement and an additional protocol with the agency. Furthermore, the treaty requires the parties to act in accordance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and maintain effective physical protection standards for nuclear materials.
