The Netherland's Voluntary Contribution to the Preparatory Commission

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has made a voluntary financial contribution to the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).  The funds of up to 100,000 Euro will be used for the implementation of a project supporting the international cooperation and outreach activities of the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) with the aim to increase the number of ratifications of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).  The project aims at enhancing the understanding of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in States in the Africa Region, the Latin America and Caribbean Region as well as in the South East Asia, the Pacific and Far East Region, which have not yet ratified the Treaty.  The project will also assist these States in the national process for the ratification of the CTBT as well as in the installation of IMS stations.  In the framework of the project, the PTS will organize national information seminars on the CTBT in the Africa Region, the Latin America and Caribbean Region and the South East Asia, the Pacific and Far East Region in the course of the year 2005.  Policy and decision-makers of the Governments of these States will take part in these national seminars.  Participants will be able to discuss and clarify the potential benefits deriving from their participation in the work of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO; the legal contents of the CTBT; the obligations of Member States and the national implementation procedures of the CTBT.  They will also discuss technical aspects of the CTBT verification regime and the four monitoring technologies; the work of the International Data Centre and the National Data Centres as well as potential civil and scientific applications of CTBT verification technologies.    This is the third voluntary financial contribution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO.  The funds arising from the two previous voluntary contributions in 2001 and 2002 were used to organize information visit programmes for senior experts from States in the Africa Region, the Latin America and Caribbean region and the South East Asia, the Pacific and Far East Region.

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       
I    www.ctbto.org