Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Opened for signature	September 10, 1996[1] in New York
Entered into force	Not yet in force
Conditions for entry into force	The treaty will enter into force 180 days after it is ratified by all of the following 44 (Annex 2) countries: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, People's Republic of China, Colombia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Romania, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Vietnam.
Parties	140, including 34 of the 44 Annex 2 countries [2] (as of 19 September 2007)

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans all nuclear explosions in all environments, for military or civilian purposes.

Status

The Treaty was opened for signature in New York on 24 September 1996, when it was signed by 71 States, including five of the eight then nuclear-capable states. The CTBT has now been signed by 177 states and ratified by 138. On 16 January 2007, Moldova ratified the CTBT, completing the ratification of the treaty by all the states of Europe. India and Pakistan, though not nuclear weapons states as defined by the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), did not sign; neither did the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). India and Pakistan conducted back-to-back nuclear tests in 1998, while North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2003 and tested a nuclear device in 2006. Fifteen other states have not signed.

Obligations

(Article I):

1. Each State Party undertakes not to carry out any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion, and to prohibit and prevent any such nuclear explosion at any place under its jurisdiction or control.
2. Each State Party undertakes, furthermore, to refrain from causing, encouraging, or in any way participating in the carrying out of any nuclear weapon tests explosion or any other nuclear explosion.

History

Arms control advocates had campaigned for the adoption of a treaty banning all nuclear explosions since the early 1950s, when public concern was aroused as a result of radioactive fall-out from atmospheric nuclear tests and the escalating arms race. Over 50 nuclear explosions were registered between 16 July 1945, when the first nuclear explosive test was conducted by the United States at Alamogordo, New Mexico, and 31 December 1953. Prime Minister Nehru of India voiced the heightened international concern in 1954, when he proposed the elimination of all nuclear test explosions worldwide. However, within the context of the Cold War, skepticism in the capability to verify compliance with a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty posed a major obstacle to any agreement. On 13 October 1999 the United States Senate rejected ratification of the CTBT.

Partial Test Ban Treaty, 1963

Limited success was achieved with the signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963, which banned nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater and in space. However, neither France nor China, signed the PTBT.

Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, 1968

A major step towards non-proliferation of nuclear weapons came with the signing of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968. Under the NPT, non-nuclear weapon states were prohibited from, inter alia, possessing, manufacturing or acquiring nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. All signatories, including nuclear weapon states, were committed to the goal of total nuclear disarmament.

Negotiations for the CTBT

Given the political situation prevailing in the subsequent decades, little progress was made in nuclear disarmament until 1991. Parties to the PTBT held an amendment conference that year to discuss a proposal to convert the Treaty into an instrument banning all nuclear-weapon tests; with strong support from the UN General Assembly, negotiations for a comprehensive test-ban treaty began in 1993.

One of the largest issues was the priorities of the different countries. The Non-aligned movement countries were highly concerned with vertical proliferation (more and more bombs, new bomb technology) while the Nuclear Powers were focusing on horizontal proliferation (nuclear bombs being produced by states other than themselves).

Adoption of the CTBT, 1996

Intensive efforts were made over the next three years to draft the Treaty text and its two annexes, culminating in the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on 10 September 1996 by the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

US Ratification of the CTBT

The US has signed the CTBT, but not ratified it. There is ongoing debate whether or not the US should ratify the CTBT. Proponents of ratification claim that it would:

1. Establish an international norm that would push other nuclear capable countries like North Korea, Pakistan, and India to sign.
2. Constrain worldwide nuclear proliferation by vastly limiting a country's ability to make nuclear advancements that only testing can ensure.
3. Not compromise US national security because the Science Based Stockpile Stewardship Program serves as a means for maintaining current US nuclear capabilities without physical detonation.

Monitoring of the CTBT

Geophysical and other technologies are used to monitor for compliance with the Treaty: seismology, hydroacoustics, infrasound, and radionuclide monitoring. On Site Inspection is provided for where concerns about compliance arise.

The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), an international organization headquartered in Vienna, Austria, was created to build the verification regime, including establishment and provisional operation of the network of monitoring stations, and development of the On Site Inspection capability.

As of December 2005, around 65 percent of monitoring stations are operational.

Notes

Original text derived from Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization.

Signatures and Ratifications

Source: CTBTO: Status of Signature and Ratification

Bold-type indicate the 44 required states.

State Signature Ratification Afghanistan 24 SEP 2003 24 SEP 2003 Albania 27 SEP 1996 23 APR 2003 Algeria 15 OCT 1996 11 JUL 2003 Andorra 24 SEP 1996 12 JUL 2006 Angola 27 SEP 1996 Antigua and Barbuda 16 APR 1997 11 JAN 2006 Argentina 24 SEP 1996 04 DEC 1998 Armenia 01 OCT 1996 12 JUL 2006 Australia 24 SEP 1996 09 JUL 1998 Austria 24 SEP 1996 13 MAR 1998 Azerbaijan 28 JUL 1997 02 FEB 1999 Bahamas 04 FEB 2005 Bahrain 24 SEP 1996 12 APR 2004 Bangladesh 24 OCT 1996 08 MAR 2000 Barbados Belarus 24 SEP 1996 13 SEP 2000 Belgium 24 SEP 1996 29 JUN 1999 Belize 14 NOV 2001 26 MAR 2004 Benin 27 SEP 1996 06 MAR 2001 Bhutan Bolivia 24 SEP 1996 04 OCT 1999 Bosnia and Herzegovina 24 SEP 1996 26 OCT 2006 Botswana 16 SEP 2002 28 OCT 2002 Brazil 24 SEP 1996 24 JUL 1998 Brunei Darussalam 22 JAN 1997 Bulgaria 24 SEP 1996 29 SEP 1999 Burkina Faso 27 SEP 1996 17 APR 2002 Burundi 24 SEP 1996 Cambodia 26 SEP 1996 10 NOV 2000 Cameroon 16 NOV 2001 06 FEB 2006 Canada 24 SEP 1996 18 DEC 1998 Cape Verde 01 OCT 1996 01 MAR 2006 Central African Republic 19 DEC 2001 Chad 08 OCT 1996 Chile 24 SEP 1996 12 JUL 2000 China 24 SEP 1996 Colombia 24 SEP 1996 Comoros 12 DEC 1996 Congo 11 FEB 1997 Cook Islands 05 DEC 1997 06 SEP 2005 Costa Rica 24 SEP 1996 25 SEP 2001 Cote d'Ivoire 25 SEP 1996 11 MAR 2003 Croatia 24 SEP 1996 02 MAR 2001 Cuba Cyprus 24 SEP 1996 18 JUL 2003 Czech Republic 12 NOV 1996 11 SEP 1997 Democratic People's Republic of Korea Democratic Republic of the Congo 04 OCT 1996 28 SEP 2004 Denmark 24 SEP 1996 21 DEC 1998 Djibouti 21 OCT 1996 15 JUL 2005 Dominica Dominican Republic 03 OCT 1996 04 SEP 2007 Ecuador 24 SEP 1996 12 NOV 2001 Egypt 14 OCT 1996 El Salvador 24 SEP 1996 11 SEP 1998 Equatorial Guinea 09 OCT 1996 Eritrea 11 NOV 2003 11 NOV 2003 Estonia 20 NOV 1996 13 AUG 1999 Ethiopia 25 SEP 1996 08 AUG 2006 Fiji 24 SEP 1996 10 OCT 1996 Finland 24 SEP 1996 15 JAN 1999 France 24 SEP 1996 06 APR 1998 Gabon 07 OCT 1996 20 SEP 2000 Gambia 09 APR 2003 Georgia 24 SEP 1996 27 SEP 2002 Germany 24 SEP 1996 20 AUG 1998 Ghana 03 OCT 1996 Greece 24 SEP 1996 21 APR 1999 Grenada 10 OCT 1996 19 AUG 1998 Guatemala 20 SEP 1999 Guinea 03 OCT 1996 Guinea-Bissau 11 APR 1997 Guyana 07 SEP 2000 07 MAR 2001 Haiti 24 SEP 1996 01 DEC 2005 Holy See 24 SEP 1996 18 JUL 2001 Honduras 25 SEP 1996 30 OCT 2003 Hungary 25 SEP 1996 13 JUL 1999 Iceland 24 SEP 1996 26 JUN 2000 India Indonesia 24 SEP 1996 Iran, Islamic Republic of 24 SEP 1996 Iraq Ireland 24 SEP 1996 15 JUL 1999 Israel 25 SEP 1996 Italy 24 SEP 1996 01 FEB 1999 Jamaica 11 NOV 1996 13 NOV 2001 Japan 24 SEP 1996 08 JUL 1997 Jordan 26 SEP 1996 25 AUG 1998 Kazakhstan 30 SEP 1996 14 MAY 2002 Kenya 14 NOV 1996 30 NOV 2000 Kiribati 07 SEP 2000 07 SEP 2000 Kuwait 24 SEP 1996 06 MAY 2003 Kyrgyzstan 08 OCT 1996 02 OCT 2003 Lao People's Democratic Republic 30 JUL 1997 05 OCT 2000 Latvia 24 SEP 1996 20 NOV 2001 Lebanon 16 SEP 2005 Lesotho 30 SEP 1996 14 SEP 1999

State Signature Ratification Liberia 01 OCT 1996 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 13 NOV 2001 06 JAN 2004 Liechtenstein 27 SEP 1996 21 SEP 2004 Lithuania 07 OCT 1996 07 FEB 2000 Luxembourg 24 SEP 1996 26 MAY 1999 Madagascar 09 OCT 1996 15 SEP 2005 Malawi 09 OCT 1996 Malaysia 23 JUL 1998 Maldives 01 OCT 1997 07 SEP 2000 Mali 18 FEB 1997 04 AUG 1999 Malta 24 SEP 1996 23 JUL 2001 Marshall Islands 24 SEP 1996 Mauritania 24 SEP 1996 30 APR 2003 Mauritius Mexico 24 SEP 1996 05 OCT 1999 Micronesia, Federated States of 24 SEP 1996 25 JUL 1997 Moldova 24 SEP 1997 16 JAN 2007 Monaco 01 OCT 1996 18 DEC 1998 Mongolia 01 OCT 1996 08 AUG 1997 Montenegro 23 OCT 2006 23 OCT 2006 Morocco 24 SEP 1996 17 APR 2000 Mozambique 26 SEP 1996 Myanmar 25 NOV 1996 Namibia 24 SEP 1996 29 JUN 2001 Nauru 08 SEP 2000 12 NOV 2001 Nepal 08 OCT 1996 Netherlands 24 SEP 1996 23 MAR 1999 New Zealand 27 SEP 1996 19 MAR 1999 Nicaragua 24 SEP 1996 05 DEC 2000 Niger 03 OCT 1996 09 SEP 2002 Nigeria 08 SEP 2000 27 SEP 2001 Niue Norway 24 SEP 1996 15 JUL 1999 Oman 23 SEP 1999 13 JUN 2003 Pakistan Palau 12 AUG 2003 1 AUG 2007 Panama 24 SEP 1996 23 MAR 1999 Papua New Guinea 25 SEP 1996 Paraguay 25 SEP 1996 04 OCT 2001 Peru 25 SEP 1996 12 NOV 1997 Philippines 24 SEP 1996 23 FEB 2001 Poland 24 SEP 1996 25 MAY 1999 Portugal 24 SEP 1996 26 JUN 2000 Qatar 24 SEP 1996 03 MAR 1997 Republic of Korea 24 SEP 1996 24 SEP 1999 Romania 24 SEP 1996 05 OCT 1999 Russian Federation 24 SEP 1996 30 JUN 2000 Rwanda 30 NOV 2004 30 NOV 2004 Saint Kitts and Nevis 23 MAR 2004 27 APR 2005 Saint Lucia 04 OCT 1996 05 APR 2001 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa 09 OCT 1996 27 SEP 2002 San Marino 07 OCT 1996 12 MAR 2002 São Tomé and Príncipe 26 SEP 1996 Saudi Arabia Senegal 26 SEP 1996 09 JUN 1999 Serbia (continuing the membership of Serbia and Montenegro) 08 JUN 2001 19 MAY 2004 Seychelles 24 SEP 1996 13 APR 2004 Sierra Leone 08 SEP 2000 17 SEP 2001 Singapore 14 JAN 1999 10 NOV 2001 Slovakia 30 SEP 1996 03 MAR 1998 Slovenia 24 SEP 1996 31 AUG 1999 Solomon Islands 03 OCT 1996 Somalia South Africa 24 SEP 1996 30 MAR 1999 Spain 24 SEP 1996 31 JUL 1998 Sri Lanka 24 OCT 1996 Sudan 10 JUN 2004 10 JUN 2004 Suriname 14 JAN 1997 07 FEB 2006 Swaziland 24 SEP 1996 Sweden 24 SEP 1996 02 DEC 1998 Switzerland 24 SEP 1996 01 OCT 1999 Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan 07 OCT 1996 10 JUN 1998 Thailand 12 NOV 1996 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 29 OCT 1998 14 MAR 2000 Timor-Leste Togo 02 OCT 1996 02 JUL 2004 Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia 16 OCT 1996 23 SEP 2004 Turkey 24 SEP 1996 16 FEB 2000 Turkmenistan 24 SEP 1996 20 FEB 1998 Tuvalu Uganda 07 NOV 1996 14 MAR 2001 Ukraine 27 SEP 1996 23 FEB 2001 United Arab Emirates 25 SEP 1996 18 SEP 2000 United Kingdom 24 SEP 1996 06 APR 1998 United Republic of Tanzania 30 SEP 2004 30 SEP 2004 United States of America 24 SEP 1996 Uruguay 24 SEP 1996 21 SEP 2001 Uzbekistan 03 OCT 1996 29 MAY 1997 Vanuatu 24 SEP 1996 16 SEP 2005 Venezuela 03 OCT 1996 13 MAY 2002 Viet Nam 24 SEP 1996 10 MAR 2006 Yemen 30 SEP 1996 Zambia 03 DEC 1996 23 FEB 2006 Zimbabwe 13 OCT 1999

See also

• National Technical Means
• Nuclear proliferation
• Nuclear disarmament
• Nuclear weapon
• Nuclear war
• Nuclear-free zone
• Global Security Institute

References and external links

• Full text of the treaty
• For official news releases and information on the treaty see - http://www.ctbto.org
• Two articles from the March/April Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists cover the state of play regarding the CTBT: Keith Hansen, "Forecasting the future" and Trevor Findlay & Andreas Persbo, "Watching the world."
• The Test Ban Test: U.S. Rejection has Scuttled the CTBT
• Nuclear Files.org Text of the CTBT
• US conducts subcritical nuclear test ABC News, February 24, 2006
• International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, 1991
• Daryl Kimball and Christine Kucia, Arms Control Association, 2002
• "Low-Yield Earth Penetrating Nuclear Weapons"
• General John M. Shalikashvili, Special Advisor to the President and the Secretary of State for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
• Christopher Paine, Senior Researcher with NRDC's Nuclear Program, 1999
• Fact Sheet released by the Bureau of Arms Control