Did the elimination of nuclear weapons increase or decrease the security of the Kazakhstan?.
With disintegration of the Soviet Union the concept of world security has broken down. Everyone understood that the collapse of a such authority can have great effects on global security. "It has been estimated that the former Soviet republics possess more than 13000 tanks, an equal number of artillery pieces, more than 20000armoured vehicles", not to mention nuclear weapons of Kazakhstan which became available for the world demand . Such a tendency may explain the intensive attention of the world community to first steps of Kazakhstani diplomacy.
Getting independence , Kazakhstan had to decide whether to learn the specifics of world nuclear policy, or to define its position in the policy of nuclear disarmament. Our country has chosen the last one, that is the elimination of nuclear weapons. In my opinion, Kazakhstan made a rational decision, cause it increased its security. Military security guaranteed by nuclear weapons was replaced by military security guaranteed by the global community. In addition to this security, Kazakhstan got economic, environmental and political securities not foreseeing by the possession of nuclear weapons.
The rejection of all types of nuclear weapon made by Kazakhstan was a natural choice of the state which suffered a lot from nuclear weapons testing. Its known that during 45 years of functioning of the nuclear testing site at Semipalatinsk nearly 5000 people were exposed to radiation . Today little is known of precise effects of testing, but its undoubtedly that "prolonged exposure to radiation has caused severe abnormalities in humans and animals, and will have an incalculable effect on the health and well-being of future generations; the soil and water have always been contaminated, thus affecting the food chain." Abolishing nuclear weapons, Kazakhstan stopped aggravation of the problem.
