New Zealand Facility Arrangements
enters into Force

The IMS Facility Arrangement between the Government of New Zealand and the Provisional Technical Secretariat of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO PrepCom) on the Conduct of Activities, including Post-Certification Activities, relating to International Monitoring Facilities for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) entered into force on 19 December 2000. The Arrangement entered into force in accordance with clause 22 on the day on which a communication was received from the Government of New Zealand informing the Provisional Technical Secretariat that the national requirements necessary for it to enter into force had been completed. The Arrangement sets out procedures for the Provisional Technical Secretariat to conduct its activities on the territory of New Zealand to ensure the operationalization of the CTBT´s verification system in preparation for the implementation of the Treaty. These activities include conducting site surveys, upgrading or establishing monitoring facilities for the CTBT, certifying those facilities to International Monitoring System (IMS) standards and provisionally operating and maintaining them. In terms of the CTBT, New Zealand hosts three auxiliary seismic stations, one infrasound station, two radionuclide stations and a radionuclide laboratory. In total 15 agreements or arrangements - usually referred to as IMS facility agreements or arrangements - have been concluded with States hosting international monitoring facilities for the CTBT. The New Zealand Arrangement is the ninth of these agreements or arrangements to have entered into force.

For further information on the CTBTO, please see www.ctbto.org or contact:
Annika Thunborg, Chief, Public Information  
T    +43 1 26030-6375  
E    [email protected]
M    +43 699 1459 6375       
I    www.ctbto.org