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Context:
In mid-April, a report issued by the United States State Department on “Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Non-proliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments (Compliance Report)” raised concerns that China might be conducting nuclear tests with low yields at its Lop Nur test site, in violation of its Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) undertakings.
The U.S. report also claims that Russia has conducted nuclear weapons experiments that produced a nuclear yield and were inconsistent with ‘zero yield’ understanding underlying the CTBT, though it was uncertain about how many such experiments had been conducted.
Russia and China have rejected the U.S.’s claims, but with growing rivalry among major powers the report is a likely harbinger of a new nuclear arms race.
What is Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)?
It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996, but has not entered into force.
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a legally binding global ban on nuclear explosive testing.
It is a multilateral treaty that bans all nuclear explosions, for both civilian and military purposes, in all environments.
Since the time it was opened for signature, India did not support the treaty based on its discriminatory nature.
For decades, a ban on nuclear testing was seen as the necessary first step towards curbing the nuclear arms race but Cold War politics made it impossible.
By the time the CTBT negotiations began in Geneva in 1994, global politics had changed. The Cold War had ended and the nuclear arms race was over.
Of the 44 listed countries, to date only 36 have ratified the treaty. China, Egypt, Iran, Israel and the U.S. have signed but not ratified.
North Korea, India and Pakistan are the three who have not signed.
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Preparatory Commission is based in Vienna.
The organization promotes the ratification of the treaty, and implements the verification regime so that it is fully operational when the treaty enters into force.
Drawbacks regarding CTBT:
In order to operationalize this treaty, some measures have been taken to build trust among the states, such as:
The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)- Established in 1997, it has been working towards bringing the Treaty into force, making preparations for effective implementation, in particular by establishing its verification regime and also operate the IMS in it.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO):
Conclusion:
Both China and Russia have dismissed the U.S.’s allegations, pointing to the US administration’s backtracking from other negotiated agreements such as the Iran nuclear deal or the U.S.-Russia Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
Tensions with China are already high with trade and technology disputes, militarisation in the South China Sea and most recently, with the novel coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. could also be preparing the ground for resuming testing at Nevada.
The Cold War rivalry was already visible when the nuclear arms race began in the 1950s. New rivalries have already emerged.
Resumption of nuclear testing may signal the demise of the ill-fated CTBT, marking the beginnings of a new nuclear arms race.
It is “high time” to bring the treaty into force and countries should take the last steps to finish one of the longest sought international instruments in the area of non-proliferation and disarmament.
By: Priyank Kishore ProfileResourcesReport error
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