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Call to Ratify Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty
Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, along with 38 fellow foreign ministers, issued a declaration in New York on Wednesday, September 20, reiterating the significance of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and calling on those countries which have not yet done so to ratify the Treaty in order for it to enter into force. The CTBT is one of the most important treaties in the field of nuclear disarmament. Its objective is to limit the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons by imposing a legally binding and verifiable test ban. This Sunday (24 September) marks the tenth anniversary of the CTBT's opening for signature. Although 176 countries have already signed the Treaty, and 135 have ratified it, the CTBT cannot yet enter into force. To do so forty-four expressly-named countries which possess the relevant nuclear weapons technology must first ratify the Treaty. To date ten of these countries have not yet met that requirement. Although the CTBT has still to enter into force, the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), based in Vienna, is already able to localize even minor nuclear tests worldwide using its monitoring stations. Not least due to the resulting high risk of discovery, no nuclear testing has taken place since 1998. The Treaty is therefore a shining example of an effectively verifiable arms control treaty. Germany participates in the CTBTO as the third largest contributor, also providing five already certified monitoring stations and numerous scientists. More detailed information on the CTBTO can be found under: Links
September 21, 2006
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