Russia’s parliament votes to revoke ratification of global nuclear test ban
October 25, 2023The lower house of Russia’s parliament has given final approval to a Bill revoking the ratification of a global nuclear test ban treaty. Photograph: Russian ministry for defence press service/AP
The upper house of the Russian parliament has revoked the ratification of a global nuclear test ban in what Moscow has described as a move to establish parity with the United States.
The Federation Council voted on Wednesday to endorse a Bill rescinding the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, also known as the CTBT.
The Bill will now be sent to president Vladimir Putin for final approval.
The lower house, the State Duma, approved the Bill last week.
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The vote follows a statement from Mr Putin, who warned earlier this month that Moscow could revoke its decision to ratify the Bill to “mirror” the stand taken by the US, which has signed but not ratified the nuclear test ban.
Russia’s Federation Council has revoked the ratification of a global nuclear test ban Photograph: Federation Council/AP
The CTBT, adopted in 1996, bans all nuclear explosions anywhere in the world but the treaty was never fully implemented.
In addition to the US, it is yet to be ratified by China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran and Egypt.
There are widespread concerns that Russia could move to resume nuclear tests to try to discourage the West from continuing to offer military support to Ukraine.
Many Russian hawks have spoken in favour of a resumption of the tests.
Mr Putin has noted that, while some experts have argued that it is necessary to carry out nuclear tests, he has not yet formed an opinion on the issue.
Russia’s deputy minister for foreign affairs, Sergei Ryabkov, said earlier this month that Moscow will continue to respect the ban and will only resume nuclear tests if Washington does it first. – AP
This data comes from MediaIntel.Asia's Media Intelligence and Media Monitoring Platform.
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