Green Border Shelter Project Closing Ceremony in Kazakhstan
Speech given by the British Ambassador to Kazakhstan. This is an English translation of the speech, delivered in Kazakh and Russian languages.
I am delighted to be here today in Mangystau Oblast. It is a pleasure to meet the men and women of the Border Guard Service. Your work is essential to the Republic of Kazakhstan. And your work is an important part of Kazakhstan’s independence and territorial integrity. The British Government is honoured to support you in your work.
Today’s event marks the completion of a very special project. Its aim is to support you in maintaining the integrity of Kazakhstan’s borders. The particular reason which led to the British Government co-funding this “Shelter Project” is the threat to us all posed by potential smuggling of nuclear or radiological material in this region. But this project will also support your work to prevent other forms of smuggling too - including of human beings and of narcotics.
So I’m delighted that the British Government has provided KZT 600 million ($3.2 million) to fund a series of border facilities.
Kazakhstan has been a world leader in helping to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and materials, and their acquisition by terrorists. The British Government is proud to have worked with you on this task over several years. That work continues. For example, two months ago we provided specialist vehicles to the Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Commission in order to transport radioactive sources around the country safely ans securely. Past achievements include, together with the US Government, removing over 700 nuclear weapons’s worth of radiological materials from the Aktau Reactor and transporting it to secure storage.
I would also like to thank the US Government’s Export Control and related Border Security Program for supervising the delivery of the Shelter project. The US is a valued partner for the UK in activities to prevent terrorists from acquiring the materials for Weapons of Mass Destruction around the world.
Captain Mukanov, General Julamanov, Colonel Kairbekov, Colonel Ornekeshov, ladies and gentlemen,
My main thanks go to the men and women of the Coast Guard and the Border Guard Service. I wish you good luck in the weeks and months ahead in your work. You have a record of achievement to be proud of, here, in Magystau Oblast.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for your attention.