UN chief urges nations to ratify CTBT

Vienna, April 27 

UN chief Ban Ki-moon called today for the US, China and other nuclear-armed states to end the ‘madness’ of atomic testing by finally ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which turns 20 this year.

“I call on remaining states, the eight remaining states, to sign and ratify the treaty without further delay,” Ban said in Vienna at an event marking the anniversary.

The CTBT, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 1996, bans all nuclear explosions. It has been signed by 183 states and ratified by 164 including Russia, France and Britain.

But to enter in force, the treaty needs 44 particular “nuclear technology holder” states to ratify it, eight of whom have yet to do so. These eight include the other six in the nuclear club — the US, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel — as well as Iran and Egypt. — AFP