NEWS RELEASES
CANADA CALLS FOR EARLY ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE CTBT
September 22, 2000 (9:00 a.m. EDT) No. 244
CANADA CALLS FOR EARLY ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE CTBT
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy is marking the fourth anniversary of the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) by calling for redoubled efforts to achieve its
early entry into force. The Treaty prohibits any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other
nuclear explosion anywhere in the world.
"Four years after being opened for signature on September 24, 1996, the CTBT is still 14
ratifications short of the 44 required for entry into force," said Mr. Axworthy. "There was strong
reaffirmation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) achieved at the
NPT Review Conference last spring. We must now move forward with enhanced vigour on
CTBT entry into force."
To come into force, the CTBT must be ratified by 44 named states possessing nuclear
technology. Canada signed the Treaty in September 1996 and ratified it in December 1998. To
date, 160 countries have signed the Treaty and 63 have ratified.
Mr. Axworthy announced that Canada is intensifying its diplomatic efforts to persuade the 14 of
the 44 named states that have yet to sign and/or ratify the CTBT to do so. These include the
United States and China (the only nuclear weapon states who have yet to ratify) as well as
Algeria, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Israel,
Ukraine and Vietnam. Three states in the group -- India, Pakistan and the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea -- have yet even to sign the Treaty. This initiative is being taken in order to
underline the importance of the Treaty and urge that the necessary steps be taken to achieve entry
into force.
Canada has also proposed that planning begin for a second CTBT Entry into Force Conference of
ratified states and signatories. Such a conference would consider measures to accelerate
ratification and facilitate early entry into force in accordance with Article XIV of the Treaty. The
first such conference was held in Vienna in October 1999; Canada has urged that the second be
convened in 2001.
- 30 -
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Debora Brown
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
| 
