Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty ratified on Bahamas

The Bahamas became 141 member that has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Photo: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty ratified on Bahamas

Acting Prime Minister Brent Symonette, who is also the Commonwealth's foreign affairs minister, announced Monday that he had signed the instrument of ratification and sent it to United Nations headquarters, the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization said.

The treaty, which bans all nuclear explosions, will not enter into force until it has been ratified by all 44 states - listed in an annex - that participated in a 1996 disarmament conference and had nuclear power or research reactors at the time.

Thirty-four of those countries have ratified the pact, the CTBT said.

The holdouts include the United States, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.

The Bahamas follows in the footsteps of the Dominican Republic, which ratified the pact in early September.