Moscow Concerned Over Nuclear Test Ban Entering Into Force

Russia is concerned over the situation surrounding the entering into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), President Vladimir Putin wrote in a message to the United Nations conference to encourage the implementation of the treaty. The President's strategic stability aide, Marshal Igor Sergeyev, read out the message to the conference. The event, organized by the UN for the second time to encourage the implementation of the CTBT, which is yet to enter into force, is being held in New York. "Over the 5-year period since the moment of the treaty's opening for signing, it has not ranked as an international accord in force and is, sadly, far from that," the head of state wrote. Russia has always viewed the CTBT as a crucial instrument in the field of nuclear arms limitation, and in the strengthening of the international nuclear arms nonproliferation regime and maintenance of the global strategic stability, the document states. "We are convinced that a speedy implementation of the treaty and conferring a universal character on it is in the best interests of the entire international community," the President said in the message. According to him, Russia is responsible in its commitment to nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation and is determined to abide by it "in the conditions of sustained strategic stability and the system of disarmament treaties created over the last decade as a basis for further reductions and limitations in strategic offensive weapons." This was the rationale behind Russia's determined effort to secure a prompt ratification of the treaty, the message said. Russia appreciates the conference intended to uphold the CTBT and encourage its implementation in keeping with the stipulations of Article 14 of the Treaty. Putin wished good progress and every success to the participants in the conference.