On Monday, October 15th, the United States and Russia submitted a joint draft resolution to the United Nations General Assembly, which called for the swift entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
Marcie B. Ries, a member of the U.S. delegation to the UN General Assembly, told the First Committee of the General Assembly that:
This draft resolution expresses the hope that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty will enter into force at an early date, recalls that both the Russian Federation and the United States have stopped the production of fissile materials for use in nuclear weapons, and supports the early commencement of negotiations for the conclusion of a verifiable treaty to end the production of fissile materials for use in nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices.
Mr. Chairman, the entry into force of the CTBT represents another essential step on the path toward a world without nuclear weapons. The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to this treaty, and has increased its level of participation in all of the activities of the CTBTO’s Preparatory Commission in preparing for the entry into force of the CTBT. We believe that the United States, and all states, will be safer when the test ban enters into force, and we are preparing actively for the reconsideration of the treaty by the United States Senate.
The Russian representative also affirmed that the CTBT is a critical disarmament step, and that all countries should ratify the treaty as soon as possible.