By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – For the first time in the history of Central Asia, a peacekeeping contingent from the Republic of Kazakhstan is participating in a UN peacekeeping operation. 120 Kazakh peacekeepers have arrived in Lebanon to participate in the mission of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The […]
ATOM Project Ambassador Kuyukov Receives Nuclear-Free Future Award
By Kazinform ASTANA (IDN) – Kazakhstan’s famous artist, activist of the international anti-nuclear movement and Honorary Ambassador of ATOM Project Karipbek Kuyukov has received Nuclear-Free Future Award (NFFA). The awarding ceremony was held end of October at Salzburg University in Austria. Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Austria Kairat Sarybay congratulated NFFA laureates and highly praised their […]
Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament Go Hand in Hand
Viewpoint by Izumi Nakamitsu Following are extensive excerpts from remarks by Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), at the Roundtable Discussion on the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) hosted by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations on 25 October 2018. […]
Women, Peace and Security is Germany’s Priority in 2019-2020 Security Council Membership
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – When Germany joins the UN Security Council next January as a non-permanent member for 2019-2020, promoting the ‘Women, Peace and Security Agenda’ by ensuring a greater political participation of women and prevention of sexual violence in conflicts, will be one of its priorities. The Security Council has […]
Experts Underline the Gravity of a Potential Nuclear Conflict
By Claire Ochroch This report first appeared on October 25, 2018 in The Daily Pennsylvanian. NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – Speakers from across the world stopped by Penn’s Perry World House on October 23 evening to discuss the importance of denuclearization. The event, called the Penn Peace Project, was hosted by the International Affairs Association. Speakers […]
Participation in Landmark NATO Exercise Reveals Iceland’s Dilemma
By Lowana Veal REYKJAVIK (IDN) – Iceland, the most sparsely populated country in Europe, has no standing army. But it is a founding member of the 29-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and is therefore taking part in Trident Juncture 2018, the largest NATO exercise since the end of the Cold War in December 1991. […]
Kazakh Initiated Forum Underlines Importance of NWFZs
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu has expressed her “gratitude” to the Kazakhstan for their continued partnership with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), including through a series of Nuclear Discussion Forums (NDF), now in its eighth year. She was addressing a side event of […]
Time Out for Nukes!
Viewpoint by Alice Slater The author is a member of the World Beyond War Coordinating Committee and the UN NGO Representative of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. NEW YORK (IDN) – With 122 nations having voted last summer (July 2017) to adopt a treaty for the complete prohibition of nuclear weapons, just as the world […]
World Religious Leaders’ Astana Congress Pledges ‘Unity in Diversity’
By Ramesh Jaura ASTANA (IDN) – At a critical point in time when religious tolerance is being consigned to oblivion, an international conference has appealed “to all people of faith and goodwill” to unite, and called for “ensuring peace and harmony on our planet”. The appeal emerged from the two-day Congress of the Leaders of […]
Kazakhstan Still Has a Lot of Heights to Climb
By Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Following are extensive excerpts from Kazakh President’s State of the Nation address on October 5, 2018 in the Akorda presidential residence. ASTANA (IDN | KAZINFORM) – Over the years of our independence we have achieved a great deal. Having created a modern progressive state with a […]