A WORLDWIDE AND COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST BAN

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A WORLDWIDE AND COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST BAN

• THE ROLE OF NON-NUCLEAR-WEAPON STATES
• Randy Rydell Ph. D.
• UN Department for Disarmament Affairs
• Statement at the Organization of American States
• Committee on Hemispheric Security
• 15 March 2007

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NUCLEAR WEAPONS

• un atentado a la integridad de la especie
  humana y aún pueden tornar finalmente toda la
  Tierra inhabitable.
• Preamble, Treaty of Tlatelolco

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The Nuclear Weapon ChallengeMore than Falling
into the Wrong Hands

• The mere existence of nuclear weapons
  constitutes a threat to all humanity
• Resolved, in Santiago de Chile Declaration
• (Opanal General Conference, 2005)
• WMD (Blix) Commission, 2006

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MEETING THE CHALLENGE

• Technical -- verification, irreversibility
• Economic -- dismantling and disposal
• Military -- security without the bomb
• Political -- networks in and among states

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NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AND THE RULE OF LAW

• First UNGA Resolution (1946)
• Countless UNGA resolutions to follow
• 5 NWFZ treaties
• NPT
• 1996 ICJ Advisory Opinion
• NPT 1995 and 2000 Commitments

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INTERNATIONAL LAW AND NUCLEAR TESTS

• Goal found in a dozen global treaties
• CTBT and PTBT
• NPT -- part of 1995 package deal
• 5 NWFZ treaties
• Antarctic and Seabed treaties
• Moon and Outer Space treaties
• UNGA resolutions, recently Res. 61/104
• Adopted by vote of 172-2-4 (2006)

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Goals of a CTBT

• SHORT TERM ban all nuclear tests
• MEDIUM TERM nuclear disarmament and
  non-proliferation
• LONG TERM General and Complete Disarmament

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BENEFITS OF A CTBT

• Prevent vertical proliferation
• Reinforce norm against possession
• Advance non-proliferation goals
• Environment, health, and safety

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Building on Tlatelolco

• Pelindaba and Semipalatinsk entry into force
• Universal regional membership
• P5 ratification of Protocols
• Promote new zones Southern Hemisphere, Middle
  East, South Asia, Northeast Asia
• Explore WMD-free zone concept

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Progress on WMD-free Zones

• Long-standing goal in the Middle East, recognized
  by all states
• We declare our objective to make the Americas a
  region free of biological and chemical weapons.
  - Declaration on Security in the
  Americas (2003)
• A model WMD-free zone treaty? Keep the nuclear
  disarmament priority, and coordinate with
  international WMD regimes.

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Coordinated efforts needed on many levels

• Unilateral
• Bilateral
• Plurilateral
• Regional
• Multilateral/global

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Importance of Expanding Participation

• Parliamentarians, mayors, governors
• Networking among diverse NGOs
• Expanded support from foundations
• Coordinated action in multilateral fora
• High-level policy statements
• Education and training

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Conclusion

• Security is strengthened when we deepen its
  human dimension. Declaration on
  Security in the Americas (2003)
• Freeing the world from WMD requires sustained
  efforts at all political levels -- grassroots to
  global
• The OAS has shown how regional action can advance
  global norms -- a strong foundation for meeting
  the WMD challenges ahead.