NEWS RELEASES
CANADA DEPLORES CHINESE NUCLEAR TEST
July 29, 1996 No. 134
CANADA DEPLORES CHINESE NUCLEAR TEST
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today deplored the Chinese nuclear weapons
test explosion carried out on July 29.
"Canada is deeply disappointed that China felt compelled to test yet again.
However, we hope that what we witnessed today is the world's last nuclear test.
In this regard, we welcome China's announcement that it will now put in place a
moratorium on nuclear testing," said Mr. Axworthy.
"We call on China, the other nuclear weapon states and all countries involved in
current negotiations for a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) at the Conference
on Disarmament in Geneva to summon a sense of international responsibility and to
move quickly to ensure the conclusion of a treaty that will ban all nuclear
testing for all time," said the Minister. He encouraged the Conference
participants to accept the text now under consideration. "We expect the nuclear
weapon states to be among the first to ratify the Treaty. In this way, the CTBT
will make a major contribution to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation,"
added Mr. Axworthy.
Canada is working to bring the CTBT negotiations to an early, successful
conclusion, with the aim of having the entire global community join together to
sign the Treaty this September. A CTBT to ban all nuclear weapons tests, in all
environments for all time, has been a long-standing Canadian foreign policy
priority.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Catherine Lappe
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
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