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German Foreign Minister Maas assumes leading role in banning nuclear testing
Außenminister Maas: Vorsitz bei der Artikel-XIV-Konferenz des Atomwaffen-Teststoppabkommens CTBT, © Ständige Vertretung
New York, 25 September 2019: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, together with Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum, chaired a conference to push for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), attended by some fifty Foreign Ministers and other high-level officials gathered at UN headquarters in New York.
“Nuclear tests continue to pose a grave threat to international peace and security. I think we all agree: Stopping nuclear testing once and for all would constrain the proliferation and development of new nuclear weapons. It would thus constitute a major step towards a world without nuclear weapons. It is our responsibility to move forward on this path – we owe this to our children and future generations.”
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas
The event was also attended by the President of the UN General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad and the head of the Treaty organization CTBTO, Lassina Zerbo.
While the 1996 CTBT enjoys near-universal support with 184 signatures and 168 ratifications, it has yet to enter into force. For this to happen, the Treaty requires 44 States listed in its “Annex 2” to ratify. Of these, China, Egypt, Israel, Iran and the United States have signed but yet to ratify, while India, Pakistan and North Korea remain non-signatories.
The conference, known as Art. XIV Conference, adopted a Final Declaration calling for the CTBT’s entry into force.
“We reaffirm the vital importance and urgency of the entry into force of the CTBT and urge all States to remain seized of the issue at the highest political level.”
Art. XIV Ministerial Declaration
Germany also provides strong financial and technical support to the CTBTO.
For background see:
CTBTO Art. XIV Conference Page
German Federal Foreign Office page on CTBT (in German)
📢 2019 #CTBT Art. XIV Ministerial Declaration is ADOPTED 🍾🎉😎
— Germany UN Vienna (@GermanyUNVienna) 25. September 2019
The CTBT lives up to its reputation as 'longest-sought, hardest-fought prize in the history of arms control': Consensus elusive until last moment. 🙏 to all colleagues for willingness to swallow the occasional 🐸 pic.twitter.com/W3R9uebsTo
Während der #UNGA übernimmt 🇩🇪 mit 🇩🇿 den Vorsitz der Konferenz zur Beförderung des Inkrafttretens des Vertrages zum Verbot von Atomtests #CTBT. Außenminister @HeikoMaas: “Lasst uns zusammen Atomwaffentests für immer beenden.” pic.twitter.com/f7jzGCza5C
— Auswärtiges Amt (@AuswaertigesAmt) 25. September 2019
