Vol. 512 No. 2
47 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, the Government is taking to ensure full implementation of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, particularly having regard to the decision of the United States Senate to vote against ratification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25508/99]
The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty is one of the cornerstones of the nuclear disarma ment process. It is essential that its entry into force be assured at the earliest possible date.
The treaty cannot enter into force without the ratification of 44 listed states including the US. Ireland and our EU partners have on several occasions, including at the Tampere European Council, expressed our deep regret at the decision of the US Senate not to ratify the treaty. We have also welcomed President Clinton's restatement of his commitment to the CTBT and to its ratification by the US.
I urge all of those 44 states which have yet to do so to sign and ratify the treaty .
A conference of states party to the CTBT was held in Vienna from 6 to 8 October this year, shortly before the vote in the US Senate. That conference issued a declaration which called upon all states, and especially those states whose ratification is required to permit entry into force, to sign and ratify the treaty as soon as possible. Ireland participated actively in the conference itself and in the preparation of the declaration.
As part of the preparations for entry into force, work on implementing the international monitoring system which will verify compliance with the treaty, and which must be operational when it enters into force, is continuing and is expected to accelerate over the coming period. The commitment of President Clinton to maintain the US contribution to this work is very welcome.
