The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2310, which reaffirmed the international moratorium on nuclear weapon testing, on Sept. 23. The resolution followed a Sept. 15 statement by the permanent five members of the UN Security Council committing not to defeat “the object and purpose” of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as required under customary international law. It also acknowledged the value of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization’s International Monitoring System.
“This first-ever, CTBT-specific Security Council resolution (2310) is a very important reaffirmation of the global taboo against nuclear weapon test explosions and strong call for ratification by the remaining eight Annex 2 hold-out states,” said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association in a press release on Sept. 23.
The UN Security Council Resolution was introduced by the United States and adopted despite opposition from some U.S. senators and representatives. On Sept. 7, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing on the resolution (video here), and on Sept. 8, 33 U.S. senators signed a letter to President Obama opposing the resolution. Legislation filed on Sept. 20 threatened to withdraw funding from the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization should the resolution include legally binding measures prohibiting nuclear testing.