RI's Ratifying Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Appreciated

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia's step in ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a good momentum for the global effort to ban nuclear weapon tests, an official said.

"This is the day  when  Indonesia can assert its leadership as a co-founder of ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement," executive secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBT  Tibor Toth said here on Tuesday after attending a House of  Representatives (DPR) plenary session which  endorsed Indonesia's accession to the treaty.

Toth said  Tuesday's ratification by Indonesia gives a strong message to the world to say no to nuclear weapons and say yes to the treaty which was part of the efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.

He also said by ratifying the CTBT, Indonesia was not only saving its people from the dangerous threat of nuclear weapons but also gaining benefit in terms of natural disaster management efforts as the CTBT auxiliary system already stationed in some parts of the country could also detect earthquakes and possible tsunami waves.

Toth expressed hope that other countries, especially members of the Annex II (group of countries comprising nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states), would soon ratify the CTBT.

Up till now, there are 36 members of Annex II, including Indonesia, who have signed and ratified the CTBT. The other eight countries that have yet to ratify the treaty are the United States, Israel, North Korea, China, India, Pakistan and Egypt.

On the same occasion, e Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa expressed appreciation for Parliament's decision to  ratify the CTBT.

"The ratification will strengthen Indonesia's stance in supporting the non proliferation and total eradication of weapopns of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons," the minister said.(**)