Report from the conference 'Biotechnological development in Kazakhstan: Non-proliferation, conversion and investment' held in Stepnogorsk, Kazakhstan July 24-26 2000. The conference concentrated on the dismantlement and conversion of former BW producers. The intent was to present to a larger public, the results of the US DOD CTR (Cooperative Threat Reduction) program at the Biotechnology Center of Stepnogorsk and attract some potential partners to encourage conversion projects. The conference gave a good overview of the conversion projects in progress in Kazakhstan and scientific results were presented of research being funded by the U.S. An overview was given of how far the conversation process had come so far and the problems that remain. A visit to the former BW production facility was included. The report also gives a background on which facilities and the test area on Vozrozhdeniye island that were involved in the former Soviet Union biological weapons program in Kazakhstan and the ongoing activities to convert or dismantle these facilities. The problems connected with this conversion as well as some critical comments from Kazakhs are discussed.
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