{"record":{"aliases":[],"appointmentIds":["kazakhstan-04628fcb080b9c"],"appointmentsDataset":"https://chanceries.org/diplomats.json","archivalSources":[],"canonicalUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/tuleutay-suleymenov-8e027224e5/","countrySlug":"kazakhstan","entityId":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/tuleutay-suleymenov-8e027224e5/#person","eventIds":[],"expandedParagraphs":["Tuleutay Suleymenov began as a steelworker and trained as a metallurgical engineer before moving through party administration into diplomacy. He studied at the Soviet Diplomatic Academy and served as a consul in Afghanistan. In a later interview, he recalled meeting Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Karaganda steelworks in 1960 and studying alongside him. Suleymenov became independent Kazakhstan's first foreign minister in December 1991.","As ambassador in Washington from 1994 to 1996, Suleymenov represented a government cooperating with the United States to secure the Soviet nuclear legacy. He appeared with Secretaries William Perry, Warren Christopher, and Hazel O'Leary at the November 23, 1994, announcement of Project Sapphire. The operation had transferred 600 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from Kazakhstan to secure storage in Tennessee. Christopher publicly thanked Suleymenov while describing the diplomatic work behind the operation.","After Washington, Suleymenov held several European ambassadorships, including assignments in Hungary, Belgium, and Poland and representation to European institutions. He later became director of the Institute of Diplomacy at Kazakhstan's Academy of Public Administration and taught foreign policy."],"id":"kazakhstan:tuleutay suleymenov","identifiers":{},"legacyPersonIds":[],"legacyUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplomat-8e027224e590d04e040e.html","name":"Tuleutay Suleymenov","notes":[],"paragraphSources":[["suleymenov-library","suleymenov-interview"],["suleymenov-library","suleymenov-sapphire"],["suleymenov-library"]],"profileUrl":"diplomat-8e027224e590d04e040e.html","relatedEvents":[{"basis":"reviewed-context","country":"Kazakhstan","date":"1991-12-25","description":"In a Christmas Day address, George H. W. Bush recognizes independent Kazakhstan. The end of the Soviet Union opens a direct relationship, with nuclear security among its first concerns.","id":"kazakhstan-recognition","note":"Suleymenov became independent Kazakhstan’s first foreign minister in December 1991; the biography covers the establishment of its foreign service.","sourceUrls":["https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-the-nation-the-commonwealth-independent-states"],"title":"Washington recognizes independence","url":"Kazakhstan.html#history-kazakhstan-recognition"},{"basis":"reviewed-context","country":"Kazakhstan","date":"November 1994","description":"Kazakhstan and the United States remove 600 kilograms of highly enriched uranium to secure storage in the United States—a landmark of cooperation against nuclear proliferation.","id":"kazakhstan-sapphire","note":"Suleymenov participated in the November 1994 announcement; his biography describes that participation.","sourceUrls":["https://kz.usembassy.gov/project-sapphire-30-years-of-u-s-kazakhstan-nuclear-security-cooperation/"],"title":"Project Sapphire","url":"Kazakhstan.html#history-kazakhstan-sapphire"}],"relatedPeople":[],"relationships":[],"researchStatus":"reviewed","reviewedOn":"2026-10-28","revision":"97de08dc97460a79","sources":[{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2019-02-21","id":"suleymenov-library","locator":"Biographical entry with bibliography","publisher":"East Kazakhstan Regional Library named after A. S. Pushkin","title":"Сулейменов Т.С.","type":"reference","url":"https://esimder.pushkinlibrary.kz/ru/gos-dei/1366-.html"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2014-12-02","id":"suleymenov-interview","locator":"Interview on steelworks and education","publisher":"Qazaqstan Tarihy","title":"“Friends is not a choice, they become friends”. An interview with T. Suleimenov","type":"primary-record","url":"https://e-history.kz/en/news/show/8061"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"1994-11-23","id":"suleymenov-sapphire","locator":"pp. 1–3","publisher":"U.S. Department of Defense / National Security Archive","title":"DoD News Briefing: Secretary of Defense William J. Perry, et al","type":"primary-record","url":"https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NunnLugar/2015/43.%201994-11-23%20DoD%20News%20Briefing.%20Secretary%20of%20Defense%20William%20J.%20Perry,%20et%20al.pdf"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"2013-01-09 (page label)","id":"mission-a5c55eb0273682d7b332","locator":"","publisher":"","title":"Diplomatic Representation for Kazakhstan","type":"Mission record","url":"https://2009-2017.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/94069.htm"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"","id":"mission-115eb8acbf0f837d7910","locator":"Official historical account of Project Sapphire.","publisher":"","title":"Mobile packaging program origin story, 16 November 2022","type":"Mission record","url":"https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/articles/mobile-packaging-program-origin-story"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"","id":"mission-7e5ea580eca2d5b95dbe","locator":"Primary government briefing dated one day after the transfer’s completion.","publisher":"","title":"Defense Department briefing on Project Sapphire, 23 November 1994","type":"Mission record","url":"https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB491/docs/14%20-%20Defensegov%20Transcript%20DoD%20News%20Briefing%20Secretary%20of%20Defense%20William%20J%20Perry%20et%20al%2011%2023%2094.pdf"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"","id":"mission-020680d597257d3d0a34","locator":"","publisher":"","title":"Tuleutay Suleymenov — mission record (1994–1996)","type":"Mission record","url":"https://www.apa.kz/ru/team/sulejmenov-tuleutaj-skakovich/"}],"topics":["Project Sapphire","nuclear nonproliferation","diplomatic education"]},"schemaVersion":1}