UN General Assembly
2019

Kazakhstan believes that the current issues concerning Iran’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula should be settled only by political means, with due respect for each other’s interests and concerns. My country has always been a steadfast supporter of preventive diplomacy and mediation on the global stage. As early as in 1992, from this rostrum Kazakhstan’s first President proposed convening the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA) as a platform for collective approaches to addressing security challenges (see A/47/ PV.24). Over time, CICA has proved its expediency and viability. We are grateful to all our partners who have embraced that process. The growing economic might of Asia demands a more integrated continental security architecture. It is time to transform CICA into a full-fledged regional organization for security and development. As Chair of CICA in 2020, we will put our efforts to that end.