CTBTO Preparatory Commission
welcomes 2000 NPT Review
Conference result

The Chairperson of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Ambassador Pavel Vacek, and the Executive Secretary, Wolfgang Hoffmann, welcomed the adoption of the Final Document by the 2000 NPT Review Conference. Ambassador Vacek stated, "The NPT Review Conference was about the art of finding a reasonable compromise between the desirable and the possible. I regard the outcome of the Review Conference as an encouragement for the CTBTO Preparatory Commission in Vienna to intensify its efforts to achieve the earliest possible entry into force of the CTBT. " The Executive Secretary Hoffmann said, "The CTBTO Preparatory Commission has worked very hard for the last three years to make CTBT a success story. We are very happy that our efforts have been recognized by the NPT Review Conference. " In the Final Document the Conference agreed on practical steps to achieve nuclear disarmament, the first of which was "?The importance and urgency of signatures and ratifications, without delay and without conditions and in accordance with constitutional processes, to achieve the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty." It further called for "A moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions pending entry into force of that Treaty". So far, 155 States have signed the CTBT and 56 States (Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uzbekistan), have ratified it. In accordance with Article XIV, the Treaty must be ratified by the 44 countries with nuclear facilities on their territory, as listed in Annex 2 to the Treaty, in order to enter into force.

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