ABSTRACT
Why does Kazakhstan not have a surplus arms and ammunition policy? Contradictory events and extreme official reticence show instead that the government of Kazakhstan does not know what to make of the issue. Despite its extensive engagement in UN processes, years of prodding from NATO and the OSCE, and the existence of its large legacy arsenals from the Soviet era, attitudes in Astana remain elusive. The Kazakhstan experience shows that for any country to act in regards to surplus arms, at least one of two factors must be present: A recognition that the surplus is a problem, or perception of benefits that can accrue by the disposal of SALW. The case of Kazakhstan exemplifies the importance of addressing two issues: surplus-is-not-a-problem and the nature of national decision-making. Internal dynamics within the Kazakhstan government have relegated the surplus issue into a non-problem.
