Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)

Contact Details:

CTBTO Provisional Technical Secretariat
Vienna International Centre, PO Box 1200, A-1400, Vienna, Austria
Telephone: +43 (1) 26-030
Facsimile: +43 (1) 26-030

HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS

In January 1994 an ad hoc committee of the Conference on Disarmament based in Geneva resumed primary negotiations on the CTBT. At the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons a commitment was made to complete these negotiations "no later than 1996". Subsequently, the UN General Assembly adopted the CTBT on 10 September 1996.

The purpose of the CTBT is to ensure that the international community would rid the world of the testing of nuclear weapons. Under Article 1 of the CTBT, each State Signatory "undertakes not to carry out carry nuclear weapons test explosions and all other nuclear explosions, and to prohibit and prevent any, nuclear explosion at any place under its jurisdiction or control". The CTBT seeks to constrain the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons as well as the development of advanced new types of nuclear weapons.

South Africa signed the Treaty on 24 September 1996 and ratified it on 30 March 1999. South Africa played a leading and meaningful role in the negotiations of the CTBT and the subsequent establishment of the Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) and the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO). It was the chair of the first meeting of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO). As testimony of its commitment to the goals of the CTBT, South Africa concluded "facility agreements" with the CBTO permitting it to establish, in terms of the Treaty, International Monitoring System (IMS) stations within South Africa at Boshof, Marion Island, Sutherland and at the SANAE base in Antarctica. Furthermore, South Africa has also hosted a workshop and a training program on the CTBT for African States. This laid the basis for further co-operation and solidarity amongst African countries on CTBT matters.

OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COOPERATING ORGANISATIONS

South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA)
Council for Geoscience
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

RELEVANT TREATIES/PROTOCOLS

Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water (Partial Test Ban Treaty)
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

GENERAL COMMENTS

In order to verify compliance with the CTBT, a verification regime consisting of elements such as, an International Monitoring System (IMS); consultation and clarification; on-site inspections (OSI); and confidence-building measures was established. Under the IMS, 321 monitoring stations will continuously measure shock-waves in air, water and rock; and measure atmospheric radioactivity. These measurements will be conducted through the use of one or more of the following technologies: seismological monitoring; hydroacoustic monitoring; infrasound monitoring; and radionuclide monitoring. Data from the worldwide network of monitoring stations is transmitted via the International Data Center to the CTBTO in Vienna, Austria for collation and analysis.

The CTBT will enter into force 180 days after ratification by the 44 States that participated at the primary negotiations of the Treaty, and that are identified in Annex II of the Treaty as having a nuclear capacity whether civil or military. As of 31 December 2000 the Treaty had not entered into force as yet. In such circumstances Article XIV of the Treaty stipulates that a conference - upon a request of a majority of States that have ratified the Treaty – should be convened to consider and decide 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 CTBT. One conference of this nature was held in 1999 and the second one will be held in 2001.