In his statement, Vladimir Putin said:
“This year marks the 20th anniversary since the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) was open for signing. This treaty was a great victory for international diplomacy at the time and showed just how effective such diplomacy can be at resolving the greatest challenges to global security.
The treaty provides a tremendously important mechanism for limiting nuclear weapons and preventing their proliferation, and plays a primary role in strengthening international stability. At the same time, however, we cannot but feel concern over the fact that this treaty has still to come into effect. The treaty’s future depends largely on the genuine willingness of all members of the international community to advance towards the declared goal of freeing our planet of nuclear weapons. In this respect, the eight countries that must ratify the treaty for it to enter into force bear particular responsibility.
These countries’ unwillingness to become full parties to the treaty is cause for great regret, all the more so as some of these countries claim a leadership role and practically special powers in resolving global security issues. We once again call upon their leaders to demonstrate genuine political will and join the CTBT as soon as possible.
Russia ratified the CTBT in 2000 and has given consistent support to the treaty and the work of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation Preparatory Commission. This preparatory commission’s priority task is to have the treaty come into effect as soon as possible. We hope that the year of its 20th anniversary will bring positive steps in this direction”.