Comprehensive Test Ban

Why Comprehensive Test Ban is selected as a top issue:

A global ban on nuclear weapon tests is essential to the survival of the nuclear nonproliferation regime. Lack of progress towards negotiation of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) nearly killed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) during its 1995 Review and Extension Conference. Now, the NPT is again threatened by U.S. refusal to support CTBT ratification. The NPT regime is also under other pressures and a CTBT debacle could be the final straw. In 1966, non-nuclear powers cited the CTBT as a primary criterion for judging nuclear states commitment to NPT objectives, including nuclear abolition. The current testing moratorium must be continued until the CTBT is fully ratified and enters force. Thus, it is a top issue for nuclear arms control and disarmament.

These selected charts and documents help further understanding of the issue. It is not an exhaustive list, but a good starting point. Annotations will be added at a later date.

Vast resources are available via links to other Internet sites:

Gateway to Internet

Recommendations for specific off-site resources on this issue will be added in the future.