National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The fact that the 20th century became a thing of the past was important for Kazakhstan from the view of territory and state establishment. This year the Republic of Kazakhstan celebrates 10 years of independence. After the USSR breakup in 1991, Kazakh SSR became a sovereign state that inherited the unique test complex Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, the pride of the entire Soviet people in the past. For the first time in the history of nuclear weapon (one of mass destruction types) creation, development and partial elimination the test site created for testing such weapons was eliminated. The Republic of Kazakhstan declared itself a non-nuclear state and started solving such complicated problems as the possibility to use the territory of the former nuclear test site in the national economy. For this it was necessary to start work on nuclear test infrastructure elimination and this work commenced. Great assistance in conduction of such work has been and is rendered by the specialists from the USA, different international organizations, for example, IAEA, NATO etc. In order to determine whether it's possible to transfer the test site territory to national economy it is necessary not only to eliminate tests infrastructure but also to obtain reliable data on the dimensions and degree of radioactive contamination of the territory within and outside the test site borders. National Nuclear Center specialists working in close cooperation with many Kazakhstan and International Organizations contributed much to studies on radioecological situation at the former STS territory and regions adjoining it, as well as to radiation parameter data obtaining process. The problems of Semipalatinsk test site are in focus of the State. At the Second UN General Assembly, the President of Kazakhstan pointed out this problem and appealed to the International Community to solve it in cooperation. In order to implement Resolution 52/169M of UN General Assembly 'on international cooperation and coordination of activity for population and ecology rehabilitation and for economical development of Semipalatinsk Region in Kazakhstan' work was arranged on the mission on UN Development Program (DPUNO). A large number of Kazakhstan Government Decrees are dedicated to solutions of the test site problems and transfer of its territory to national economy. This is one of the principal tasks of the National Nuclear Center. Due to such a policy, the Republic of Kazakhstan managed to retain the unique scientific technical complex and highly qualified staff in the field of atomic energy application and also created a fundamental basis for its further development in peaceful direction. Currently, the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan - assignee of the Semipalatinsk Test Site - became virtually an international research center comprising the entire complex of ecological problems, problems of non-proliferation control, mining engineering, nuclear power safety, medicine, etc