UNITED NATIONS: The General Assembly voted over whelmingly September 10th to endorse a global treaty that would ban all nuclear test blasts an agreement hailed by U.S. officials as a “giant step” toward ending the nuclear arms race. The action opens the door for the treaty to be signed by U.N. member states, although it must overcome strong opposition from India if it is ever to take effect. President Clinton is expected to sign the treaty when he visits New York for the General Assembly in two weeks. The vote was 158 for the test ban. Three countries India, Bhutan and Libya voted against.
The endorsement “is a mile stone in our transition from the Cold War era to a new and safer time,” U.S. Ambassador Madeleine Albright said. “The effect of this treaty will be greater security for all our citizens, a healthier environment and a giant step closer toward ending a nuclear arms race that has endangered human survival for most of the past half century,” Albright said. U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali applauded the pact, saying the “prohibition of nuclear weapons tests is an important first step toward nuclear disarmament and the future elimination of all nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.
“India, which carried out its only test blast in 1974, voted against the agreement and said it would not endorse the treaty, blocking it from becoming law. Libya and Bhutan also voted against the treaty. “India will never sign this unequal treaty. Not now. Not later,” Indian representative Arundhati Ghose told the assembly. India has said the treaty is flawed because it does not include provisions for disarmament. India also said the major powers could refine their arsenals despite the treaty by using highly advanced tests that did not involve nuclear explosions. India’s rival, Pakistan, said it would not sign the agreement either.
The treaty must be signed and ratified by the 44 nations known to have nuclear weapons capability, including India and Pakistan, to have the force of law. The five declared nuclear powers the United States, Russia, France, Britain and China support the Comprehensive Nuclear test Ban Treaty. The five major nuclear powers have detonated all but one of the 2,045 known test blasts carried out since 1945. The overwhelming support from the General Assembly could pressure countries to honor the even if they refuse to sign the agreement.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1996
