On July 15-16, 2021, members of the Pugwash Committee of Kazakhstan under the KazNAEN Presidium, in accordance with sections 1 and 3 of the PCK`s Action Plan for 2021, assisted and took an active part in holding the 3rd online forum organized by the ISTC jointly with the Verification Research Training and Information Center (VERTIC) for teachers, university students and specialists of domestic organizations of the nuclear industry in the framework of the project "Building Capacity on Multilateral Verification of Nuclear Disarmament".
The seminar was attended by well-known scientists and specialists, members of the PCK and the Youth Department: Tazhibaeva I.L., Saveliev S.R., Miniyazov A.Zh., Baykenov Zh.E., Botov A.A., Serzhanova Z.B., Vityuk V.A., Klepikov A.Kh., Osintsev A.Yu., Smirnov A. et al.
The event was moderated by PhD, Vityuk V.A. (Deputy General Director of NNC RK for Science) and PhD, Klepikov A.Kh. (STC SNT).
On the first day of the seminar, in accordance with the agenda of the event, a member of the PCK, Professor, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Director General of the Scientific and Technical Center "Safety of Nuclear Technologies" Tazhibaeva I.L. made a presentation on the topic “Irreversible decommissioning of the BN-350 reactor plant - an example of the positive experience of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of nuclear nonproliferation”.
Osintsev A.Yu. (RSE NNC RK) presented a report on the topic: "Verification of nuclear test sites", dedicated to the results of complex studies of the territory of the former Semipalatinsk test site.
Smirnov A. (branch IGR RSE NNC RK) presented a report on the topic "Kazakhstan's experience in monitoring nuclear explosions and earthquakes by a network of seismic and infrasound stations in support of the CTBT", presenting detailed information on the contribution of the network of domestic seismic and ultrasonic stations to global security.
The second day of the seminar was devoted to the prospects for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and practical examples of achieving these objectives.
Vityuk V.A. presented two reports on the topics "Kazakhstan as a member of the Group of Governmental Experts: how a country can contribute to the successful implementation of this UN process" and "How to regionalize the center and which Central Asian countries have interests in this area and are most suitable for supporting or participating in activities and promoting research on FNR”.
Osintsev A.Yu. spoke about the project of the future "Center for Research in the Field of Nuclear Disarmament Verification", emphasizing that verification is a key element of arms control and disarmament, and its implementation requires the use of reliable tools.
The work of the seminar was accompanied by an active discussion of the reports together with the seminar participants. In particular, issues of continuity of knowledge and experience in decommissioning a nuclear reactor, training for the nuclear industry as a whole, prospects for the development of new technologies necessary to ensure and support non-proliferation activities, international cooperation and exchange of experience were discussed.
A total of 35 participants took part in the seminar. All topics of the reports received a high response from the audience. The event gave the participants the opportunity to diversify the discussion of issues with a wide scope on the Kazakhstani experience of work in the field of disarmament, non-proliferation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, as well as prospects for further activities in this direction.