[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2353-E2354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  FINAL DECLARATION OF THE CONFERENCE ON FACILITATING THE ENTRY INTO 
           FORCE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR-TEST-BAN TREATY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2001

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to my colleagues' 
attention the Final Declaration of the Conference on Facilitating the 
Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). 
The document follows.

     Annex--Conference on Facilitating the Entry Into Force of the 
         Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (New York, 2001)


                           Final Declaration

       1. Fully conscious of the responsibilities which we assumed 
     by signing the comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty, 
     pursuant to article XIV of that Treaty, and recalling the 
     Final Declaration adopted by the Conference, held in Vienna, 
     from 6 to 8 October 1999, we the ratifiers, together with the 
     States Signatories, met in New York from 11 to 13 November 
     2001 to promote the entry into force of the Treaty at the 
     earliest possible date. We welcomed the presence of 
     representatives of non-signatory States, international 
     organizations and non-governmental organizations.
       2. We reaffirmed our strong determination to enhance 
     international peace and security throughout the world and 
     stressed the importance of a universal and internationally 
     and effectively verifiable comprehensive nuclear-test-ban 
     treaty as a major instrument in the field of nuclear 
     disarmament and non-proliferation in all its aspects. We 
     reiterated that the cessation of all nuclear-weapon test 
     explosions and all other nuclear explosions, by constraining 
     the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear 
     weapons and ending the development of advanced new types of 
     nuclear weapons, constitutes an effective measure of nuclear 
     disarmament and non-proliferation in all its aspects and thus 
     a meaningful step in the realization of a systematic process 
     to achieve nuclear disarmament. We therefore renewed our 
     commitment to work for universal ratificaiotn of the Treaty, 
     and its early entry into force as provided for in article 
     XIV.
       3. We reviewed the overall progress made since the opening 
     for signature of the Treaty and, in particular, the progress 
     made after the Conference held in Vienna from 6 to 8 October 
     1999. We noted with appreciation the overwhelming support for 
     the Treaty that has been expressed: the United Nations 
     General Assembly and other multilateral organs have called 
     for signatures and ratifications of the Treaty as soon as 
     possible and have urged all States to remain seized of the 
     issue at the highest political level. We highlighted the 
     importance of the Treaty and its entry into force for the 
     practical steps for systematic and progressive efforts 
     towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, which 
     were identified in 2000 at international forums dealing 
     with nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We believe 
     that the cessation of all nuclear-weapon test explosions 
     or any other nuclear explosions will contribute to the 
     accomplishment of those efforts.
       4. In accordance with the provisions of article XIV of the 
     Treaty, we examined the extent to which the requirement set 
     out in paragraph 1 had been met and decided by consensus what 
     measures consistent with international law may be undertaken 
     to accelerate the ratification process in order to facilitate 
     the early entry into force of the Treaty.
       5. Since the Treaty was adopted by the United Nations 
     General Assembly and opened for signature five years ago, 
     progress has been made in the ratification process. As of 
     today, 162 States have signed and 87 States have deposited 
     their instruments of ratification, an increase of over 70 per 
     cent compared with the number of ratifications at the time of 
     the Conference held in 1999. Of the 44 States listed in Annex 
     2 to the Treaty whose ratification is required for the entry 
     into force of the Treaty, 41 have signed, and of these, 31 
     have also ratified the Treaty. A list of those States is 
     provided in the appendix. Progress in ratification has been 
     sustained. We welcomed this as evidence of the strong 
     determination of States 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 their jurisdiction or control.
       6. Despite the progress made and our strong support for the 
     Treaty, we noted with

[[Page E2354]]

     concern that it has not entered into force five years after 
     its opening for signature. We therefore stressed our 
     determination to strengthen efforts aimed at promoting its 
     entry into force at the earliest possible date in accordance 
     with the provisions of the Treaty.
       7. After the opening for signature of the CTBT, nuclear 
     explosions were carried out. The countries concerned 
     subsequently declared that they would not conduct further 
     nuclear explosions and indicated their willingness not to 
     delay the entry into force of the Treaty.
       8. In the light of the CTBT and bearing in mind its purpose 
     and objectives, we affirm that the conduct of nuclear-weapon 
     test explosions or any other nuclear explosion constitutes a 
     serious threat to global efforts towards nuclear disarmament 
     and non-proliferation.
       9. We call upon all States to maintain a moratorium on 
     nuclear-weapon test explosions or any other nuclear 
     explosions and underline the importance of signature and 
     ratification of the Treaty.
       10. We noted with satisfaction the report of the Executive 
     Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive 
     Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) to the 
     Conference on progress made by the Preparatory Commission and 
     its Provisional Technical Secretariat since November 1996 in 
     fulfillment of the requirement to take all necessary measures 
     to ensure the effective establishment of the future CTBTO.
       11. In this connection, we welcomed the momentum which has 
     been developed by the Preparatory Commission and its 
     Provisional Technical Secretariat across the Major Programmes 
     of the Commission, as identified by the Executive Secretary 
     in his report. We also welcomed the progress in building the 
     global infrastructure for Treaty verification, including the 
     International Monitoring System, with a view to ensuring that 
     the verification regime shall be capable of meeting the 
     verification requirements of the Treaty at entry into force. 
     We further welcomed the conclusion of a significant number of 
     related agreements and arrangements with States and with 
     international organizations.
       12. Convinced of the importance of achieving universal 
     adherence to the Treaty, welcoming the ratifications of all 
     the States that have done so since the 1999 Conference, and 
     stressing in particular the steps required to achieve its 
     early entry into force, as provided for in article XIV of the 
     Treaty, we:
       (a) Call upon all States that have not yet signed the 
     Treaty to sign and ratify it as soon as possible and to 
     refrain from acts which would defeat its object and purpose 
     in the meanwhile;
       (b) Call upon all States that have signed but not yet 
     ratified the Treaty, in particular those whose ratification 
     is needed for its entry into force, to accelerate their 
     ratification processes with a view to early successful 
     conclusion;
       (c) Recall the fact that two States out of three whose 
     ratifications are needed for the Treaty's entry into force 
     but which have not yet signed it have expressed their 
     willingness not to delay the entry into force of the Treaty, 
     and call upon them to sign and ratify it as soon as possible;
       (d) Note the fact that one State out of three whose 
     ratifications are needed for the Treaty's entry into force 
     but which have not yet signed it has not expressed its 
     intention towards the Treaty, and call upon this State to 
     sign and ratify it as soon as possible so as to facilitate 
     the entry into force of the Treaty;
       (e) Note the ratification by three nuclear-weapon States 
     and call upon the remaining two to accelerate their 
     ratification processes with a view to early successful 
     conclusion;
       (f) In pursuit of the early entry into force of the Treaty, 
     undertake ourselves to use all avenues open to us in 
     conformity with international law, to encourage further 
     signature and ratification of the Treaty; and urge all States 
     to sustain the momentum generated by this Conference by 
     continuing to remain seized of the issue at the highest 
     political level;
       (g) Agree that ratifying States will select one of their 
     number to promote cooperation to facilitate the early entry 
     into force of the Treaty, through informal consultations with 
     all interested countries; and encourage bilateral, regional 
     and multilateral initiatives aimed at promoting further 
     signatures and ratification;
       (h) Urge all States to share legal and technical 
     information and advice in order to facilitate the processes 
     of signature, ratification and implementation by the State 
     concerned, and upon their request. We encourage the 
     Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban 
     Treaty Organization and the Secretary-General of the United 
     Nations to continue supporting actively these efforts 
     consistent with their respective mandates;
       (i) Call upon the Preparatory Commission for the 
     Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization to 
     continue its international cooperation activities to promote 
     understanding of the Treaty, including by demonstrating the 
     benefits of the application of verification technologies for 
     peaceful purposes in accordance with the provisions of the 
     Treaty, in order to further encourage signature and 
     ratification of the Treaty;
       (j) Reiterate the appeal to all relevant sectors of civil 
     society to raise awareness of and support for the objectives 
     of the Treaty, as well as its early entry into force as 
     provided for in article XIV of the Treaty.
       13. We reaffirm our commitment to the Treaty's basic 
     obligations and our undertaking to refrain from acts which 
     would defeat the object and purpose of the Treaty pending its 
     entry into force.
       14. We remain steadfast in our commitment to pursue the 
     efforts to ensure that the Treaty's verification regime shall 
     be capable of meeting the verification requirements of the 
     Treaty at entry into force, in accordance with the provisions 
     of article IV of the Treaty. In this context, we will 
     continue to provide the support required to enable the 
     Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban 
     Treaty Organization to complete its tasks in the most 
     efficient and cost-effective way.
       15. The Conference addressed the issue of possible future 
     conferences, expressed the determination of its participants 
     to continue working towards entry into force of the Treaty 
     and took note of the provisions contained in paragraph 3 of 
     article XIV of the Treaty.

     

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