At the event (Photo: VNA)The briefing took place to mark the 25th anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear‑Test‑Ban Treaty’s opening for signaturein September 1996. It saw the attendance of UN High Representative forDisarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu and Executive Secretary of theComprehensive Nuclear‑Test‑Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) RobertFloyd.
According to Izumi Nakamitsu, the Treaty has since achievednear‑universaladherence, with 185 signatories and 170 ratifying States, making it one of themost widely supported treaties not just in the disarmament and arms controlfield but in multilateral diplomacy.
Many speakers emphasised the importance of upholding amoratorium on nuclear testing, urging the States that have not done so to signand ratify the Treaty.
In his speech, Ambassador Quy, Permanent Representative ofVietnam to the UN, attributed achievements related to the Treaty to commitmentsand joint efforts of the international community regarding nuclear test ban, non-proliferationof nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament.
The diplomat noted despite the existing moratoria, the Test‑BanTreaty’s non‑entryinto force leaves the door open for further possible nuclear testing in variousforms.
For the interests of humans and the environment, he calledon all States that have not yet done so, particularly the Annex 2 States, tosign and ratify the Treaty.
He said Vietnam is a party to the Test‑BanTreaty, Non‑Proliferation Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibitionof Nuclear Weapons, as well as the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon‑FreeZone (Treaty of Bangkok).
Expressing support for the inalienable right of States todevelop research, production and uses of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,Quy also called for further assistance to developing countries in using datafrom the international monitoring system for other socioeconomic developmentapplications.
Vietnam signed the Treaty on September 24, 1996 and ratifiedit on March 10, 2006./.
VNA
