The Conference on the Banning
of Nuclear Testing led some countries to ratify the
treaty, making it a success, according to officials.
The Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force
of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
concluded this morning at the United Nations in New
York.
While
speaking at a press conference, the Permanent Representative
of Mexico to the UN in Vienna, Ambassador Olga Pellicer,
said one of the reasons the conference was a success
was due to its high level attendance. There were 108
participants at the conference. Eighty statements were
made out of which 52 were made by foreign ministers.
Speaking on behalf of the Mexican Presidency of
the conference, Pellicer said all of the participating
states reiterated their support for the CTBT. Another
common theme in the conference was for the states
to appeal to others to ratify the treaty.
The
conference yielded a final declaration emphasizing
that
the CTBT is an essential part of the non-proliferations
regime. It also urges the nuclear power countries
to maintain the moratorium on nuclear testing.
The declaration refers to the work done by the
technical secretariat on the verification regime.
Pellicer commended by saying, "It is the first
time in history that there will be a regime in
place to make sure the states comply with the regulations
of the CTBT and stop comprehensive nuclear testing."
She said the purpose of the conference was accomplished
because it aimed to bring attention to the issue
and dangers of comprehensive nuclear testing. She
went on to say that holding the conference at the
same time as the General Debate at the General
Assembly brought the issue more into the spotlight.
Due to the conference taking place, the number
of ratifications increased. Just before the conference
13 countries ratified the Treaty. Jamaica, who
had signed the treaty in November 1996, ratified
earlier this afternoon.
Pellicer
acknowledged the extreme dangers of nuclear weapons
and the
importance of non-proliferation. "Nuclear
weapons possessed by non state actors, for examples
terrorists, do present a danger," she said.
The conference heard addresses from the foreign
ministers of Russia and China, among others. The
US, India and Pakistan did not attend.
It has been five years since the Treaty has been
open for signature. So far, 161 countries have
signed, but only 78 have ratified. Forty four countries
are needed to ratify the CTBT for it to come into
force. This includes the seven nuclear powers of
the United States, France, Japan, India, Pakistan,
Korea and China. Thirty-one of the countries needed
have ratified. Three states, which are India, Pakistan
and North Korea are yet to sign.
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