On the occasion of International Nuclear Test Day on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) is calling on the ‘key states’ – Egypt, China, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States – to sign the accord . the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) which must finally be ratified. “We need the nuclear test ban treaty more urgently than ever,” Schallenberg said.
It couldn’t be that eight states held the key to our security and handled it so carelessly. “I urge these key states to finally take this step that is so important for global security,” the foreign minister continued.
Test stop: Austria has been a contracting state since 1997
The Test Ban Treaty, adopted in 1996, bans all nuclear test explosions. The global surveillance system enshrined in the treaty would make the covert development of operational nuclear weapons virtually impossible. 178 of the 186 signatory states have also ratified it. However, the ratifications by the eight key states mentioned are still lacking before it can enter into force. Austria has been a party to the treaty since 1997 and is a strong supporter of nuclear disarmament.
The rattle of a nuclear saber
“The geopolitical tensions show the urgent need for sustained progress in nuclear disarmament. Russia’s nuclear clatter, North Korea’s missile program and possible further nuclear tests are symptomatic of the negative developments and dramatically increased nuclear risks,” said Schallenberg, who is urging rapid global steps toward nuclear disarmament. The support for the nuclear test treaty underlines the pioneering role of Austria, which is also the seat of the committee that prepares the treaty for the day it enters into force (CTBTO Preparatory Commission).
„Destroy nuclear weapons before they destroy us”
Austria’s commitment focuses on the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and the high risks of nuclear deterrence. “Especially now, when the risk of nuclear conflict is greater than ever before, we must put the humanitarian impact of a possible use of nuclear weapons at the center of the discussion,” the foreign minister stressed. The world can no longer turn a blind eye to the threat of nuclear weapons use, tests or accidents. “We must destroy nuclear weapons before they destroy us,” Schallenberg called for.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
