FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF OPENING FOR SIGNATURE OF COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR-TEST-BAN TREATY MARKED ON 24 SEPTEMBER
Press Release
DCF/316
FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF OPENING FOR SIGNATURE OF COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR-TEST-BAN TREATY MARKED ON 24 SEPTEMBER
19970923 Preparatory Commission Reviews Its First Six Months In Implementing Treaty(Reissued as received.)
VIENNA, 23 September (UN Information Service) -- "Thanks in particular to the support of the Austrian authorities and the international organizations in Vienna and elsewhere, we have got off to a flying start in fulfilling the tasks entrusted to us", said Wolfgang Hoffmann, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO PrepCom). Mr. Hoffmann was speaking on the eve of the first anniversary of the signing of the Treaty, which was opened for signature at United Nations Headquarters a year ago, on 24 September 1996.
Since starting work on 17 March 1997, the Preparatory Commission has initiated activities to establish the global verification regime foreseen in the Treaty so that it will be operational by the time the Treaty enters into force. Last Friday, 19 September, the Commission concluded its third meeting, at which it had reviewed progress since its last meeting in May and discussed the draft programme and budget for next year. The budget for 1998 will be decided at the Commission's fourth meeting, in December.
Treaty
The Treaty bans all nuclear weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosion anywhere in the world. It constrains any significant development of nuclear weapons and lays the ground for further advancing nuclear disarmament. Its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996 and subsequent opening for signature was, after years of effort and negotiation, a major milestone in arms control history.
Global Verification Regime
To monitor compliance, the Treaty envisages a global verification regime including a worldwide network of monitoring stations, an international data centre, and on-site inspections. Over the next years, the worldwide network of 321 seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic and radionuclide stations -- the International Monitoring System -- will be progressively built up.
Supported by 16 radionuclide laboratories, the International Monitoring System will be capable of registering vibrations underground, in the seas and
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in the air, as well as detecting tell-tale traces of radionuclides released in the atmosphere during a nuclear explosion. A stream of data generated by the four complementary technologies will be transmitted via a global communications system to the International Data Centre in Vienna. The data will then be combined and made available to the States Signatories. Ambiguous events will be subject to consultation and clarification. As a final verification measure, an on-site inspection may be requested.
Activities
During the first six months, the subsidiary bodies of the Commission -- Working Group A (administrative and budgetary matters) and Working Group B (verification issues) -- formulated proposals on the budget and verification issues, while the Advisory Group discussed financial regulations and other organizational matters. In addition, an on-site inspection workshop discussed the methodology for conducting inspections, phenomena associated with nuclear explosions and radiation measurement. Workshops were also hosted by State signatories on various aspects of the verification regime, and others are foreseen . The Commission's programme of work for this year calls for the survey of 55 sites for stations and the establishment or upgrading of l8 seismological stations and one hydroacoustic station.
Organization
The Preparatory Commission was established at a meeting of States signatories on 19 November 1996. The budget for 1997 is $US 27.4 million. The staff currently numbers 80 persons from 38 countries.
Synergy
Building on the support it has received from the host country, the CTBTO PrepCom is working in conjunction with the other organizations based at the Vienna International Centre to benefit from their experience and develop maximum synergies. For example, while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has experience in conducting on-site inspections and, says Mr. Hoffmann, "getting people on the ground fast", it could be that "our organization might eventually, if requested, be able to provide support to the other organizations".
Background
Drafted at the Conference on Disarmament at Geneva, the Treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996.It was opened for signature on 24 September 1997 at United Nations Headquarters. As at 11 September 1997, 146 States have signed the Treaty and seven (Czech Republic, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Japan, Mongolia, Qatar and Uzbekistan) have ratified it. In accordance with its article XIV, the Treaty must be ratified by the 44 countries with nuclear facilities on their territory, as listed in the Treaty, in order to enter into force.
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