Central Asian states call for new arms control amid nuclear modernization

**Central Asian states urge fresh arms control measures amid nuclear modernization**

The foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have restated their commitment to keeping Central Asia a nuclear-weapon-free zone and have called for new arms control mechanisms amid the ongoing modernization of nuclear arsenals. The five countries issued a joint statement to mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia.

The treaty was signed in Semipalatinsk on September 8, 2006. In the joint statement, the foreign ministers reaffirmed their support for its goals and highlighted its importance for regional security, nuclear disarmament and cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The statement says Central Asia remains the first and only nuclear-weapon-free zone located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and directly bordering two nuclear-weapon states.

The ministers voiced concern about the absence of meaningful progress in nuclear disarmament, the end of key arms control agreements and the continued modernization of nuclear arsenals. They called for the creation of new verifiable arms control mechanisms designed to prevent a nuclear arms race.

The statement also referred to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The five countries expressed regret that the Eleventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the NPT did not produce substantive results and called for continued negotiations on nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan also urged the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to enter into force as soon as possible. September 24, 2026, will mark 30 years since the treaty was opened for signature.

The foreign ministers also backed Kyrgyzstan’s proposal to observe the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness every year on March 5. They stressed the need to involve young people in discussions on disarmament and international security.

The joint statement further addressed the Protocol on Negative Security Assurances to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, signed in 2014. The ministers welcomed its ratification by four nuclear-weapon states and said they hoped the United States would finish its ratification process. The protocol covers security assurances from nuclear-weapon states for countries participating in the Central Asian nuclear-weapon-free zone.

The five Central Asian states ended the statement by reaffirming their intention to keep cooperating on shared challenges and threats. They also described regional security as a key factor for sustainable development and stability throughout Central Asia.