Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty Organization
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty prohibits all nuclear weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosion anywhere in the world. Drafted in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, the Treaty was adopted by the General Assembly on 10 September 1996. It was opened for signature on 24 September 1996 at United Nations Headquarters.
As of 14 May 2002, the Treaty had been signed by 165 States and ratified by 93 States, including 31 of the 44 States listed in Annex 2 to the Treaty, whose ratification is required for entry into force.
The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization was established – in order to bridge the period until the Treaty's entry into force - on 19 November 1996 at a Meeting of States Signatories to the Treaty held in New York. As an international organization financed by the States Signatories, it consists of two organs: a plenary body composed of all the States Signatories – also known as the Preparatory Commission - and the Provisional Technical Secretariat.
The main task of the Preparatory Commission is to establish the global verification regime foreseen in the Treaty so that it will be operational by the time the Treaty enters into force. A worldwide network of 321 monitoring stations will be built up and run by the host countries in cooperation with the Provisional Technical Secretariat. The stations will transmit data to the International Data Center that is to be established in Vienna. Procedures for on-site inspections and confidence-building measures will be developed.
The Preparatory Commission has two subsidiary bodies; Working Group A on administrative and budgetary matters, and Working Group B on verification issues, as well as the Advisory Group on financial, budgetary and associated administrative issues.
Mr. Wolfgang Hoffmann of Germany is the Executive Secretary. The Provisional Technical Secretariat started work on 17 March 1997. As at 1 April 2002, the Provisional Technical Secretariat has 271 staff members from 69 States Signatories.
Participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the CTBTO
The Republic of Azerbaijan signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty on 28 July 1997 and ratified it on 2 February 1999. On 30 June 2000 the Institute of Geology under the Academy of Sciences was assigned to be a National Information Center to CTBTO and on 15 July 2000 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was assigned to be a national coordinating Body to CTBTO.
Since joining the Treaty Azerbaijan has been carried out the activities towards revealing of the national capacity on full realization of all opportunities of the Treaty, and implementation of relevant obligations.
Proceeding from its commitments to the goals and principles of the Treaty the Republic of Azerbaijan stands strongly for its implementation that means the ultimate cease of all nuclear tests in the future and strengthens international co-operation in the field of global disarmament process.
Fully supporting the conception of comprehensive nuclear disarmament Azerbaijan intends to be actively involved into the efforts of the international community aimed at providing a full implementation of the international regime on nuclear security.
Nowadays, it is obvious that vigorous international efforts are still needed to provide the entry into force of the Treaty. The delay in this process blocks putting into operation the verification system under the Treaty thus making an apparent negative impact on international co-operation in the field of nonproliferation.
Bearing this message in mind Azerbaijan calls on the countries that have not yet signed and ratified the Treaty to do so as soon as possible and welcomes those that have already done it.
One of the important elements of long-term strategy of Azerbaijan in this sphere is the proposal on establishment of non-nuclear zone in the South Caucasus put forward by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1997
Statement On behalf of the GUUAM at the 21st session of the Preparatory Commission, November 5, 2003
Statement at the 20th session of the Preparatory Commission, June 24, 2003
Выступление на 19-ой сессии Подготовительной Комиссии Организации ДВЗЯИ, 11 ноября 2002 года
Statement at the 18th session of the Preparatory Commission, August 19, 2002
Statement at the 21st session of the WGA, June 25, 2002
Statement at the 17th session of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, April 9, 2002
Statement at the 16th session of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, November 19, 2001