View source for Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone

The '''[[Central Asia]]n [[Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone]]''' (CANWFZ) treaty is a legally binding commitment by [[Kazakhstan]], [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[Tajikistan]], [[Turkmenistan]], and [[Uzbekistan]] not to manufacture, acquire, test, or possess nuclear weapons. The treaty was signed on 8 September 2006 at [[Semipalatinsk Test Site]], Kazakhstan, and is also known as '''Treaty of Semipalatinsk''', '''Treaty of Semei''', or '''Treaty of Semey'''.

The treaty was ratified by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,<ref>{{cite web|title=Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones (NWFZ) At a Glance|url=http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/nwfz.asp|date=November 2007|author=Peter Crail and  Daryl G. Kimball|publisher=Arms Control Association}}</ref> Turkmenistan<ref>[http://www.nti.org/e_research/official_docs/inventory/pdfs/canwz.pdf The Central Asian Nwfz Initiative<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221134445/http://www.nti.org/e_research/official_docs/inventory/pdfs/canwz.pdf |date=February 21, 2007 }}</ref> Tajikistan<ref>[http://asiaplus.tj/en/news/16/41976.html Parliament ratifies CANWFZ treaty, endorse external borrowing program]</ref> and Kazakhstan,
and entered into force 2009-03-21.<ref>http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/260825,nuclear-free-zone-in-central-asia-enters-into-force-saturday.html</ref> 

[[Image:nwfz.svg|thumb|400px|
{{legend0|#0000FF|[[Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone]]s}} 
{{legend0|#FF0000|[[Nuclear weapons states|NW states]]}}
{{legend0|#FF8800|[[Nuclear sharing]]}}
{{legend0|#dddd00|[[Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty|NPT]] only}}]]

==History==
Steps towards the establishment of such a zone began with the [[Almaty Declaration]][http://www.nti.org/db/nisprofs/shared/canwfz/almatdec.htm] in 1992.  A resolution calling for the establishment of such a zone was adopted by consensus by the [[United Nations General Assembly]] in 1997<ref name="UN_ARES5238_page29">{{UN document |docid=A-RES-52-38 |type=Resolution |body=General Assembly |session=52 |resolution_number=38 |page=29 |accessdate=2007-10-20|date=9 December 1997}}</ref> and reaffirmed in 2000.<ref name="UN_ARES5533_page39">{{UN document |docid=A-RES-55-33 |type=Resolution |body=General Assembly |session=55 |resolution_number=33 |page=39 |accessdate=2007-10-20|date=20 December 2000}}</ref>

Mindful of the lack of support by the [[List of states with nuclear weapons|nuclear powers]] for a similar [[Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty]], the five permanent members of the Security Council were involved in the negotiations.  

While [[Russia]] and [[China]] approved of the treaty, [[United States]], [[France]] and [[United Kingdom]] objected to a clause which stated that the Treaty would not affect the rights and obligations of the signatories under previous international agreements because of the already existent [[Tashkent Treaty]] which involved [[Russia]].<ref name="cns2006">{{cite web|title=Central Asian States Establish Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone Despite U.S. Opposition|url=http://cns.miis.edu/stories/060905.htm|date=5 September 2006|author=Scott Parrish and William Potter|publisher=James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies}}</ref>

The United States also objected on principle to establishment of any zone disturbing "existing security arrangements to the detriment of regional and international security or otherwise abridg[ing] the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense guaranteed in the UN charter".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nti.org/db/nisprofs/shared/canwfz/usstate.htm|title=Remarks of U. S. Delegation to the Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Conference Tashkent, Uzbekistan|date=15 September 1997|publisher=[[The Nuclear Threat Initiative]]}}</ref>

The United States also objected to possibility that [[Iran]] could apply to join the Treaty, so this provision was removed.<ref name="cns2006"/>

The [[United States]], [[United Kingdom]], and [[France]] were finally concerned about the possibility that the Treaty could forbid the transit of nuclear weapons through the territory.<ref name="cns2006"/>

In spite of attempts by [[United States]], [[United Kingdom]], and [[France]] to block the Treaty, it was finally signed in September 2006, although they voted against the General Assembly Resolution which welcomed the signing of the treaty in December 2006.<ref>{{ UN document |docid=A-61-PV.67 |body=General Assembly |type=Verbotim Report |session=61 |meeting=67 |page=29 |anchor=pg029-bk05 |date=6 December 2006 |meetingtime=15:00 |accessdate=2007-10-20 }}</ref>

All five Permanent Members of the Security Council (also the five [[Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty|NPT]] nuclear weapons states) signed the Protocol to the treaty on May 6, 2014, which provides legally binding assurances not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against CANWFZ Treaty parties.<ref>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/05/225681.htm</ref><ref>http://www.astanatimes.com/2014/05/new-step-forward-greater-regional-global-security/</ref>

As of May 2016 all Permanent Members of the Security Council except the United States have ratified the protocols.<ref>http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/canwfz_protocol</ref>
==List of states==

[[Image:CANWFZ Participation 12-2008.svg|right|300px|thumb|
Participation in the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty as of November 2008
{{legend|#00aa00|Signed and ratified}}
]]

===Membership===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
| '''State'''
| '''Signed'''
| '''Deposited'''
|-
| {{flagcountry|Kazakhstan}}
| {{dts|link=off|2006|Sep|8}}
| {{dts|link=off|2008|Nov|26}}
|-
| {{flagcountry|Kyrgyzstan}}
| {{dts|link=off|2006|Sep|8}}
| {{dts|link=off|2007|Mar|22}}
|-
| {{flagcountry|Tajikistan}}
| {{dts|link=off|2006|Sep|8}}
| {{dts|link=off|2008|Nov|12}}
|-
| {{flagcountry|Turkmenistan}}
| {{dts|link=off|2006|Sep|8}}
| {{dts|link=off|2008|Apr|19}}
|-
| {{flagcountry|Uzbekistan}}
| {{dts|link=off|2006|Sep|8}}
| {{dts|link=off|2007|Apr|2}}
|}

===Protocol===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
| '''State'''
| '''Signed'''
| '''Deposited'''
|-
| {{flagcountry|China}}
| {{dts|link=off|2014|May|6}}
| {{dts|link=off|2015|Aug|17}}
|-
| {{flagcountry|France}}
| {{dts|link=off|2014|May|6}}
| {{dts|link=off|2014|Nov|17}}
|-
| {{flagcountry|Russia}}
| {{dts|link=off|2014|May|6}}
| {{dts|link=off|2015|Jun|22}}
|-
| {{flagcountry|United Kingdom}}
| {{dts|link=off|2014|May|6}}
| {{dts|link=off|2015|Jan|30}}
|-
| {{flagcountry|United States}}
| {{dts|link=off|2014|May|6}}
|
|}

==See also==
* [[Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone]]
*[[Lists of nuclear disasters and radioactive incidents]]

==References==
<references/>

==Sources==
* [http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2006/central_asia.html IAEA report]
* [http://cns.miis.edu/stories/060905.htm Monterey Institute of International Studies - Center for Nonproliferation Studies]

[[Category:Central Asia]]
[[Category:Nuclear technology in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Tajikistan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Treaties of Uzbekistan]]
[[Category:Nuclear weapons policy]]
[[Category:Treaties concluded in 2006]]
[[Category:Treaties entered into force in 2009]]
[[Category:Treaties establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones]]
[[Category:Tajikistan–Uzbekistan relations]]
[[Category:Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan relations]]
[[Category:Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan relations]]
[[Category:Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan relations]]
[[Category:Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan relations]]