CTBTO Working Closely With 8 Remaining Countries To Ratify Treaty - Executive Secretary

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) is cooperating closely with eight states which have yet to ratify the agreement, Lassina Zerbo, the CTBTO executive secretary, told Sputnik on Monday on the sidelines of the 15th annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club.

SOCHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2018) The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) is cooperating closely with eight states which have yet to ratify the agreement, Lassina Zerbo, the CTBTO executive secretary, told Sputnik on Monday on the sidelines of the 15th annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club.

"Of course, we are working closely to create the conditions for the eight remaining countries [to ratify the treaty]. I don't make a difference between the eight countries, what I say is that any single of the eight remaining countries can make a difference for the [Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty] CTBT," Zerbo said.

The official added that that by bringing the CTBT to attention, the organization was trying to make people understand how viable the treaty was.

The CTBT, under which all 184 signatories pledge to halt nuclear weapon tests, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996. However, it will enter into force only after all states mentioned in Annex 2 sign it. As of now, the treaty requires ratification by China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States.

The annual session of the Valdai Discussion Club, which was established in 2004 to promote political dialogue and strengthen peaceful conflict resolution, has started on Monday and will last through Thursday.