CTBTO welcomes Geneva agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme

CTBTO head welcomes Geneva agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme

Vienna, Austria, 25 November 2013 - The Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Lassina Zerbo, issued the following statement on the agreement reached during negotiations held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 23 November 2013 between the “P5+1” countries (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States – plus Germany) and Iran:

“I welcome the agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1. I hope that this development will create new momentum towards the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). I invite all States that have yet to do so to sign and ratify the CTBT. The Treaty offers a powerful confidence-building measure to underline a State’s commitment not to develop and test nuclear weapons. In particular, I encourage the three States in the Middle Eastern region whose ratification is a precondition for the CTBT’s entry into force to show leadership. We also look forward to expanding our cooperation within the region to enhance the coverage of the CTBTO’s International Monitoring System.“

For the CTBT to enter into force, it must be signed and ratified by 44 specific States. These States participated in the CTBT negotiations in the 1990s and possessed nuclear power or research reactors at the time. The remaining eight States are: China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the United States. Overall, 183 States have signed the Treaty of which 161 have also ratified. A worldwide monitoring system is being built to ensure that no nuclear explosion goes undetected.

For further information on the CTBT, please see www.ctbto.org

ENDS

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