UN Security Council wants nuke test ban implementation

The United Nations Security Council has urged China, the United States, North Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel and Pakistan to ratify a treaty banning nuclear explosions, which would allow the deal negotiated 20 years ago to come into force.

But the US has not yet done so.

“I don’t think that would cause any issue”, Zerbo explained, noting that the resolution is in no way a substitute for ratification of the legally binding Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty.

The UN resolution calls on all states to refrain from conducting any nuclear explosions, but does not impose any legal obligations but adds political weight to the push for the treaty to be enacted. Adopted by the UN General Assembly under resolution 50 (1996), the Treaty will enter into force 180 days after the date of deposit of the instruments of ratification by all.

“Over the past 20 years, nuclear test ban has become a common understanding of the worldwide community”, said Liu Jieyi, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, after the council voted on the resolution. But it still can not go on site to inspect for tests until the treaty enters into force.

This month Pyongyang conducted its fifth and largest test.

On Friday, all but one member of the UN Security Council approved a resolution reaffirming existing national moratoria on explosive nuclear tests.

The CTBT’s International Monitoring System and International Data Centre rapidly detected the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK, offering a stark reminder of why the infrastructure built to support this treaty is so vital and why passing this resolution is so important, the statement said.

Earlier this month, a group of senators warned President Barack Obama that they would cut off the sizable U.S. funding to the CTBTO if the UN Security Council resolution was legally binding on the United States.