01/16 CTBT Negociations Open Next Week

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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                    GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>>  CTBT NEGOTIATIONS OPEN NEXT WEEK;
    GREENPEACE SAYS WORLD WANTS A NUCLEAR TEST BAN IN 1996
 
GENEVA, January 16, 1996 (GP) On 22 January, the latest round of
talks to obtain a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) open in
Geneva when the Conference on Disarmament resumes negotiations. 
Greenpeace says the overwhelming international outcry against
French and Chinese nuclear tests in 1995 shows clearly that the
world's wants an international ban to stop nuclear weapons
testing this year.
 
France conducted it's fifth nuclear test of 1995 on 27 December
and is expected to explode at least one more test early this year
in the South Pacific.  China also tested two nuclear weapons at
its Lop Nor test site in 1995 and is also expected to continue
testing in 1996.  According to news reports, suspicions have been
raised that India may conduct a nuclear test before a treaty goes
into effect.  
 
In all, the United States, Russia, France, Britain, China and
India have conducted 2,043 nuclear tests since 1945. France and
China are still testing nuclear weapons, and the threat remains
that other nations may resume nuclear tests.  
 
"The massive outrage expressed against French and Chinese testing
shows the world public is demanding a treaty to end nuclear tests
be negotiated now," said Greenpeace Disarmament Coordinator
Joshua Handler.  "The clock is ticking.  The Geneva delegations
have six months to reach agreement if a treaty is to be ready for
signing in 1996."
 
A comprehensive test ban has been on the international
disarmament agenda since the 1950s.  In 1994, the Conference on
Disarmament began negotiations on this treaty.  At the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) extension conference in May 1995,
nuclear and non-nuclear weapons states agreed that obtaining a
CTBT as soon as possible was a high priority.
 
"There are still over 20,000 nuclear weapons in the world today,
and new ones still being produced.  A test ban treaty is needed
now to end nuclear testing and as the critical next step toward
further nuclear disarmament," said Handler.
 
At the end of the last negotiating session key issues that
remained unresolved were:  the lack of Russian and Chinese 
support for a zero-yield treaty, (one that would not allow
nuclear explosions of any size), China's insistence on permitting
nuclear explosions for peaceful purposes, and opposition by
nuclear weapons states for further specific disarmament steps to
be addressed in the treaty.
 
Greenpeace's priority for 1996, it's 25th anniversary year, is to
see that a CTBT is signed this year.  Greenpeace was founded in
1971 when a group of activists set sail for Alaska from
Vancouver, Canada, to try to stop a U.S. nuclear weapons test on
the Aleutian Islands.
 
Over the years, Greenpeace has held protests at the French, U.S.,
British, and Soviet nuclear test-sites, worked with the victims
of U.S. nuclear testing in the South Pacific, sponsored
scientific investigations on the environmental damage from
nuclear testing, and attended NPT review conferences.  During
1995, Greenpeace was a leader in the fight to stop French and
Chinese nuclear testing.
 
Greenpeace's demands for the CTBT talks include:
 
- The CTBT needs to be ready for signing in 1996.
- The CTBT must ban all nuclear explosions -- it must be
zero-yield treaty.
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Contact:
Josh Handler, Greenpeace International: +1-202-319-2516 
Simon Carroll, Greenpeace in Geneva: +
Blair Palese, Greenpeace Communications: +44-171-833-0600
 
 
Editor's note:
 
The treaty is taking shape but much work remains to be done. 

There are four issues of importance that need to be resolved:  
1.  Preamble:  A commitment to nuclear disarmament and
elimination of nuclear weapons must be contained in the preamble. 
    The nuclear weapons states are currently opposing having
specific references to nuclear disarmament in the preamble.  
2. Scope: The treaty must ban nuclear explosions of any sort for
any purpose.
     China and Russia have not formally committed to a 0-yield
treaty yet.  In addition, China is seeking to exclude so-called
peaceful nuclear explosions from the treaty.
 
3.  Verification: needs to include a variety of methods,
including on-site inspection.
 
4.  Entry Into Force of the CTBT: rapid entry into force of the
treaty should be provided for.
 

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