The 19th annual Ministerial Level Meeting of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) held in Tokyo on December 5-6, 2018, have discussed achievements in nuclear science and technologies application in power and non-power industry. The meeting was attended by senior officials from FNCA member countries and international organizations. National Nuclear Center and RK Embassy in Japan took part in the meeting as representatives of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Presenting a report for the Forum, Erlan Batyrbekov, NNC RK Director General, FNCA coordinator remarked that the issues of global nuclear security are of high priority in nuclear and radiation technologies application. This is approved by a number of legal aspects. Our country fully implements provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 and maintains strengthening of countermeasures against illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials. Kazakhstan as a member of Group of Nuclear Suppliers and Zangger Committee, takes all possible measures to control nuclear export. On November 1, 2018 First Committee voted for Kazakhstan resolution titled “Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World” in UN headquarters in New York.
Along with implementation of non-proliferation policy legal aspects, Kazakhstan takes active practical measures. Thus, for example, Kazakhstan moves toward minimization of highly-enriched uranium application in civil sector. In particular, two years ago reactor VVR-K (Institute of Nuclear Physics, Almaty) started operation on low-enriched fuel, and possibility to convert other research reactors – IVG1.M and IGR (National Nuclear Center, Kurchatov) is under consideration. JSC “UMP” developed a unique technology for treating the highly-enriched fresh uranium-graphite fuel of IGR with uranium-235 content reduction from 90% to the level below 20%. Also, there are many other efforts.
This year meeting discussion was related to the application of nuclear and radiation technologies in agriculture. The topic is urgent for Kazakhstan, but comparatively new one. Kazakhstan welcomes and provides all-round support to FNCA efforts in promoting radiation and nuclear technologies in agriculture, as effective and environment safe technologies providing agriculture sustainability and food security through soil fertility preservation for future generations, sound water use, decrease of agriculture production losses and many others.
NNC RK