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Nuclear test ban treaty

B5-0198, 0200, 0202 and 0203/1999

European Parliament resolution on the US Senate's rejection of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Treaty (CTBT)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the final declaration unanimously adopted at the CTB Conference in Vienna on 8 October

1999,

- having regard to the decision of the US Senate on 13 October 1999 to reject the CTBT,

- having regard to the declarations made by the UN Secretary-General, by the Tampere European Council

and by various heads of state and government, including the US President, concerning this decision of the US

Senate,

- having regard to its earlier resolutions on nuclear disarmament, nuclear proliferation and nuclear testing,

including its resolution of 19 November 1998 on the New Agenda Coalition on Nuclear Disarmament(1),

A. whereas the United States Senate has voted down the global treaty banning nuclear tests, designed to halt

the spread of nuclear weapons,

B. whereas it is the first time the US Senate has rejected a nuclear arms control pact,

C. whereas in the US (as well as in Europe) numerous polls have shown that there is overwhelming public

support for ending nuclear testing,

D. whereas the CTBT has already been signed by more than 150 countries, but cannot come into force until

it is ratified by all 44 countries judged to have nuclear capability,

E. noting that apart from the US, seventeen other states have not yet ratified the CTBT, amongst them the

Russian Federation, China, Iran,Israel, India, Pakistan and the People's Republic of Korea,

F. emphasising that the decision by the US Senate not to ratify the CTBT may have serious consequences as

at the time of the renewal of the Non-Proliferation Treaty for an indefinite period the prospect of the entry into

force of the CTBT played a crucial role,

G. noting that the Treaty rejection was made despite an open letter in the "New York Times" on 8 October

1999 in which French President Chirac, British Prime Minister Blair and German Chancellor Schroeder

together called on the USA to ratify the CTBT,

1. Strongly criticises the US Senate's irresponsible attitude with its vote on 13 October 1999 to reject

ratification of the CTBT; welcomes, however, the declaration by President Clinton that the US will in the

meantime continue its policy of not conducting any nuclear testing;

2. Reminds the US Senate and the international community that such non-ratification could have serious

consequences for the fragile worldwide system of treaties against the proliferation of weapons of mass

destruction and therefore for world security; for that reason, remains convinced that the CTBT is strongly in

the interest of all states as an essential barrier to the proliferation of nuclear weapons;

3. Calls upon all states that have not yet signed the Treaty to sign it without delay and in the meantime to

refrain from acts that would defeat its object and purpose;

4. Furthermore, urges all those states which have yet to ratify to do so rapidly, in particular those seventeen

states whose ratification is necessary to bring the Treaty into force;

5. Above all, and most importantly, urges the US Senate to re-examine the matter with a view to obtaining

US ratification of the CTBT without delay;

6. Calls on the Presidency of the Council to ensure that these issues are raised during the forthcoming EU-US

Summit, stressing EU support for the ABM Treaty and the CTBT, and further calls on the Commission and

Council to raise CTBT ratification at all future bilateral meetings with US counterparts until the Treaty is

ratified;

7. Calls on the EU, its Member States and the applicant countries to take up the challenge of adopting a

leadership role in all issues of nuclear disarmament;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments of the

Member States, the US Government and the US Senate.

(1) OJ C 379, 7.12.1998, p. 261

Source

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