TASHKENT, June 9. /Dunyo IA/.  On June 8, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Bobur Usmanov participated in a high-level meeting dedicated to the 30^th anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), held in Ashgabat and organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, during the meeting, participants discussed the collective efforts of Central Asian states in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, issues of strengthening regional cooperation within the framework of the CTBT and other international monitoring mechanisms, as well as prospects for universalization of the Treaty and further enhancement of its implementation effectiveness.

The participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to the Treaty and to broader objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. It was noted that Central Asia serves as a successful example of regional cooperation in the field of nuclear security.

The meeting highlighted Uzbekistan’s contribution to strengthening the disarmament and non-proliferation regime, including the key role of our country in the establishment of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, which became the first nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Robert Floyd, emphasized the important role of Central Asia in global efforts to end nuclear testing, noting that nuclear-weapon-free zones are an effective instrument for preventing nuclear threats and strengthening trust among states.

Uzbekistan ratified the CTBT on 29 May 1997 and was among the first countries in the world to complete the process of accession to the Treaty.