Swedish Foreign Minister Bildt welcomes Indonesian endorsement of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, December 6, 2011
“The Indonesian Parliament has today ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Sweden warmly welcomes this important decision,” says Foreign Minister Bildt.
“With this fine example of political leadership and international engagement by Indonesia, the CTBT moves yet one step further towards entry into force. This is indeed good news for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in all its aspects as well as for regional and international security,” He says.
“The importance of Indonesia’s decision to ratify the CTBT cannot be overstated. This is a golden opportunity for action by the remaining eight countries that have yet to endorse the CTBT before it can take legal effect. Until then, a nuclear test moratorium must be universally upheld.
Background
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) constitutes a comprehensive ban on all nuclear explosions underpinned by a strong verification system. The Treaty was negotiated in 1996 but has yet to enter into force even though adherence to it is almost universal. 182 States have signed the Treaty to date and 156 of them, including Indonesia, have ratified. Indonesia is one of the 44 so called Annex 2 States whose ratification is a prerequisite for the Treaty to enter into force. Among those, the remaining eight states are China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States.
In order to promote the entry into force of the CTBT and politically support the Treaty, a process in line with the Treaty’s article XIV on entry into force has evolved. After having jointly chaired the last so called Article XIV Conference in September this year, Mexico and Sweden currently act as coordinating countries for efforts in support of the CTBT until the next such Conference in September 2013.
