For the fifth International Day against Nuclear Tests, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed voluntary moratoria on testing imposed by nuclear-armed states but stressed that these cannot substitute for a legally-binding treaty.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is essential for the elimination of nuclear weapons,\u201d Mr. Ban said in a message. \u201cIt is a legally-binding, verifiable means by which to constrain the quantitative and qualitative development of nuclear weapons.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UN General Assembly declared 29 August the International Day against Nuclear Tests in December 2009, adopting a unanimous resolution that calls for increasing awareness and education \u201cabout the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.\u201d 2010 marked the inaugural commemoration of the International Day against Nuclear Tests.<\/p>\n
Reminding the world that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the dawn of the nuclear age, the UN chief said 70 years ago in 1945, \u201cthe Trinity Test unleashed the power of more than 20,000 tons of TNT and precipitated over 2,000 additional nuclear tests.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPristine environments and populated communities in Central Asia, North Africa, North America and the South Pacific were hit,\u201d he said. \u201cMany have never recovered from the resulting environmental, health and economic damage. Poisoned groundwater, cancer, leukaemia, radioactive fallout \u2013 these are among the poisonous legacies of nuclear testing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best way to honour the victims of past tests is to prevent any in the future,\u201d he said, noting that two decades after the CTBT was negotiated, \u201cthe time has long past for its entry-into-force.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI welcome the voluntary moratoria on testing imposed by nuclear-armed States,\u201d Mr. Ban said \u201cAt the same time, I stress that these cannot substitute for a legally-binding Treaty.\u201d<\/p>\n