Thirty-third Session of the
Organization of American
States approves resolution
in support of the Comprehensive
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

The Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly has approved a resolution in support of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The resolution, entitled "Inter-American support for the CTBT" was adopted on 10 June 2003 in Santiago, Chile, at the final plenary meeting of the thirty-third Session of the OAS General Assembly. It is the fourth such resolution to have been adopted by the OAS General Assembly since 2000. The OAS, which has 34 Member States, is the premier political forum for multilateral dialogue and action in the American region. Major policies and directions are established by the General Assembly, which brings together the Hemisphere?s foreign ministers once a year. The OAS plays a central role in working towards many of the goals shared by the countries of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, including the promotion of peace and security. The resolution urges all States of the Hemisphere, whether or not they have signed or ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), to participate at the highest possible level in the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the CTBT, which will take place in Vienna, Austria, from 3 to 5 September 2003. The resolution also urges those States of the Hemisphere that have not yet done so, in particular States whose signature and ratification are required for the Treaty to enter into force, to sign and ratify so that the Treaty may enter into force as soon as possible. In addition, it urges States to refrain from contravening the spirit of the obligations of the Treaty. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans all nuclear weapon test explosions in any environment. Drafted at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, and opened for signature on 24 September 1996, the Treaty must be ratified by 44 named States before it can enter 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