Statement
Latin American and Caribbean Leadership Network for Nuclear
Disarmament and Nonproliferation
On the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Test-ban Treaty
March 2015
Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996, the Comprehensive Test-ban Treaty did not yet enter into force. Eight States – the United States of America, Egypt, Israel, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, India, China and the DPRK (North Korea) – still need to ratify the Treaty for it to become formally part of the body of international law. Although the countries that possess nuclear arsenals, with the exception of North Korea, have been observing unilateral, voluntary moratoria on nuclear weapon tests for several years now, the entry into force of the instrument is a longstanding goal of the international community and would constitute a major achievement in promoting nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
Several General Assembly resolutions have repeatedly urged those eight remaining States to ratify the Treaty forthwith. Once in force, the CTBT would become a legally binding commitment to prevent the development of nuclear weapons by non-nuclear weapon States and of new types of nuclear weapons by States that already possess them.
The fact that no tests have been conducted by all but one State over the past years is no reason for complacency. The entry into force of the Treaty would place on a firm legal basis a well-developed system of verification and control to ensure compliance with its provisions. To allow the Treaty to remain without legally binding force is a risk that may come to be regretted. Each of the eight States whose ratification is necessary takes a great responsibility by not ratifying.
The successful conclusion of the CTBT after a series of negotiations over a couple of decades and its signature by an overwhelming majority of States is ample evidence of the political commitment by the international community to bring it into force. Ratification will be seen as honoring that commitment and would demonstrate that governments and civil society have not abandoned efforts to achieve nuclear disarmament and prevent further proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Released on March 18, 2015
[Signed]
Sergio Abreu, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Senator of Uruguay.
Irma Argüello, President of the NPSGlobal Foundation – Secretary of the LALN, Argentina.
Álvaro Bermúdez, former Director of Energy and Nuclear Technology of Uruguay.
Sérgio de Queiroz Duarte, former United Nations Under Secretary for Disarmament Affairs and member of the Brazil’s diplomatic service.
Sergio González Gálvez, former Deputy Secretary of External Relations and member of the Mexico’s diplomatic service.
Oswaldo Jarrin, former Minister of Defense of Ecuador.
José Horacio Jaunarena, former Minister of Defense of Argentina.
Ricardo López Murphy, former Minister of Defense of Argentina.
Miguel Marín Bosch, former Alternate Permanent Representative to the United Nations and member of the Mexico’s diplomatic service.
José Pampuro, former Minister of Defense of Argentina.
Jaime Ravinet de la Fuente, former Minister of Defense of Chile.
Camilo Reyes Rodríguez, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia.
Ronaldo Mota Sardenberg, former Minister of Science and Technology and member of the Brazil’s diplomatic service.
Noel Sinclair, Permanent Observer of the Caribbean Community – CARICOM to the United Nations and member of the Guyana’s diplomatic service.
Gioconda Ubeda, former Vice Chancellor of Costa Rica and former Secretary General of OPANAL