SRES122MAY27

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending May 27, 2005

Senate Resolution 122 recognizing the historic efforts of the Republic of Kazakhstan to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction through cooperation in the Nunn-Lugar/Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, and celebrating the 10th anniversary of the removal of all nuclear weapons from the territory of Kazakhstan.

Click flag for map and country data, Kazakhstan

BRIEF

Finding itself home to 1410 nuclear warheads owned by the former Soviet Union the Kazakhstan parliament voted to sign on with an international treaty to reduce and destroy nuclear weapons worldwide. A few years later by signing on to another pact the country became eligible for $85 million in US aid to help solve the problem. Eventually, (1995) Kazakhstan jettisoned the dangerous cargo to the Soviet Federation and became a non-nuclear state.

This Resolution salutes the tenth anniversary of Kazakhstan’s action to get rid of the nuclear weapons.

Sponsor: Senator Richard G. Lugar (IN)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent (May 24, 2005)

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

MORE INFORMATION

Whereas at the time of the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in December 1991, 1,410 nuclear warheads on heavy intercontinental ballistic missiles, air-launched cruise missiles, and heavy bombers were located within the Republic of Kazakhstan;

Whereas, on July 2, 1992, the parliament of Kazakhstan approved and made Kazakhstan a party to the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, with annexes, protocols and memorandum of understanding, signed at Moscow July 31, 1991, and entered into force December 5, 1994 (commonly known as the `START Treaty');

Whereas, on February 14, 1995, Kazakhstan formally acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done at Washington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968, and entered into force March 5, 1970 (commonly known as the `Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty');

Whereas, on December 13, 1993, the Government of Kazakhstan signed the Safe and Secure Dismantlement Act (SSD) and its 5 implementing agreements with the United States, and became eligible to receive $85,000,000 in assistance under the Nunn-Lugar/Cooperative Threat Reduction Program;

Whereas the decision of the people and the Government of Kazakhstan to transfer all nuclear weapons from the territory of Kazakhstan to the control of the Russian Federation allowed Kazakhstan to become a non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty;

Whereas the continuing efforts of the Government of Kazakhstan to pursue cooperative efforts with the United States and other countries to secure, eliminate, destroy, or interdict weapons and materials of mass destruction and their means of delivery provides a model for such efforts; and

Whereas, in April 1995, the Government of Kazakhstan formally transferred the last nuclear warhead from the territory of Kazakhstan to the territory of the Russian Federation: Now, therefore be it

Resolved, That the Senate commends, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the removal of the last nuclear warhead from the territory of Kazakhstan, the people and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan for their historic decision to rid Kazakhstan of nuclear weapons.

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