Congratulating the Australian diplomat on his election as Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Kazakhstan President noted that the activities of the CTBTO is a matter of particular importance for Kazakhstan.
“You are very well-known expert on nuclear disarmament issues. You have vast expertise and experience in this area. We look forward to having close cooperation with you. Kazakhstan will continue to remain a close and reliable partner of the CTBTO. My Administration and the Government will be ready to stay in touch with you anytime to make CTBTO activities more successful as ever,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
The President noted that Robert Floyd’s visit is taking place on the eve of a landmark date for Kazakhstan and the entire world as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site. He also shared his experience when working in Geneva as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and drew attention to the need for broad explanatory work among the world community on the importance of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
In turn, Robert Floyd expressed his appreciation to the Head of State for the warm welcome.
“Today is a very special day for me. You are the first head of state that I have had an opportunity to meet with since taking up this role as the Executive Secretary of the CTBTO. It is so fitting that it is the President of Kazakhstan that would be the first that I would meet,” he stressed.
Robert Floyd also shared his impressions of visiting the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site and the National Nuclear Centre in Kurchatov. He also informed the President about the main priorities of his work, including promoting the activities of the CTBTO Youth Group and Group of Eminent Persons.
At the end, the two expressed their mutual readiness for close cooperation in promoting Kazakhstan’s anti-nuclear initiatives and the joint agenda within the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
