Germany ratifies the CTBT

Germany deposited its instrument of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 20 August 1998. Germany is the nineteenth signatory State to have ratified the Treaty. It is also the tenth of the 44 countries listed in the Treaty - whose ratification is necessary for its entry into force - to have done so. Germany is providing five stations to the International Monitoring System, one of which, in Antarctica, is jointly administered with South Africa.

Field investigations to determine the suitability of sites for an infrasound station and a radionuclide station have been conducted and equipment will be installed at both sites later this year. Next year, work foreseen includes a site survey for another infrasound station and upgrading a primary seismic station. Germany has also offered to train station operators at its radionuclide station in the framework of this year´s PTS Technical Training Programme.

The international monitoring system consists of a total of 321 stations (170 seismic, 80 radionuclide supported by 16 laboratories, 60 infrasound and 11 hydroacoustic) that will be capable of registering shock waves emanating from a nuclear explosion underground, in the seas and in the air, as well as detecting radioactive particles released into the atmosphere. The stations will transmit, via satellite, the data collected from the four complementary technologies to the International Data Centre in Vienna where the data will be processed and distributed to the signatory States for final analysis.

The 18 other States that have ratified the Treaty are: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, Grenada, Japan, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia, Peru, Qatar, Slovakia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Uzbekistan. To date, 150 States have signed the Treaty. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion anywhere in the world. Drafted at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and adopted by the General Assembly on 10 September 1996, the Treaty was opened for signature on 24 September 1996 at the United Nations in New York.

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