States are urged to sign and ratify nuclear test ban treaty
Listen /
Nuclear test carried out on 18 April 1953 at the Nevada test site.
Nuclear tests remain a threat to human health and global stability and states that have not done so should sign and ratify the global treaty to ban these tests.
That's the message of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the General Assembly which marked the International Day against Nuclear Tests on Thursday.
The day itself is observed on 29 August when Kazakhstan decided to close the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site which was used by the then Soviet Union.
Mr. Ban called for the strengthening of efforts to achieve what he called "the widely shared goal of a world free of nuclear weapons."
"Nuclear tests are a threat to human health and global stability. Their effects are both harmful and long-lasting. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty enjoys near-universal support. But it has yet to enter into force. I urge States that have not yet signed and ratified it to do so without delay. Pending the Treaty's entry into force, I urge all States to uphold the existing moratorium on all nuclear test explosions." (Duration: 29")
The Secretary-General stressed that while voluntary moratoriums are essential they are no substitute for a total ban.
