Belize ratifies the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

Belize has deposited its instrument of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) with the United Nations Secretary-General on 26 March 2004.  Belize's ratification brings the total number of Treaty ratifications to 110.  Of the 33 States in the Latin America and Caribbean geographical region, 20 have now ratified the Treaty.

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans all nuclear test explosions.  Compliance with the terms of the Treaty is monitored by a global verification regime.  The 337-facility International Monitoring System (IMS) is a key element in this regime.  It uses seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide technologies to detect evidence of possible nuclear explosions.  The CTBT was drafted at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, and adopted by the General Assembly on 10 September 1996.  It opened for signature on 24 September 1996 at the United Nations headquarters in New York.  To enter into force, the CTBT must be signed and ratified by the 44 States that formally participated in the work of the 1996 session of the Conference on Disarmament and that possessed nuclear power or research reactors at that time.  Thirty-two of these States have ratified the Treaty. 

The 110 States that have deposited their instruments of ratification of the CTBT are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.

For further information on the CTBTO, please see www.ctbto.org or contact: 
Annika Thunborg, Chief, Public Information   
T    +43 1 26030-6375  
E    press@ctbto.org
M    +43 699 1459 6375