Russia notifies UN of CTBT ratification withdrawal

MOSCOW. Nov 3 (Interfax) - Russia has sent the United Nations a notice of its withdrawal of the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The law amending the law ratifying the CTBT took effect on November 2, the ministry said.

"In view of this, a message has been sent from Russian Foreign Minister [Sergei] Lavrov to the depositary of the CTBT, concerning the withdrawal by our country of the CTBT ratification instrument," the ministry's website said.

"Russia remains a signatory to the CTBT with all rights and obligations it entails, [and] continues to participate in the work of the UN Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization," it said.

"We intend further to comply with the moratorium on nuclear testing, which was introduced more than 30 years ago. However, the United States must understand: conducting field tests, for which testing infrastructure in Nevada has reportedly been prepared, will force us to respond in kind," the ministry said.

"The treaty was opened for signing 27 years ago," it said. "It had been created when there was hope that the level of military-political standoff would be substantially reduced. Russia ratified the CTBT in 2000. We expected all states with a considerable nuclear potential to act likewise, and as a result the document would come into force. However, that never happened," the statement said.

"The most destructive position on the Treaty has been taken by the U.S., which has for nearly a quarter of a century been avoiding its ratification under contrived pretexts," it said.

"This could not go on forever. With the U.S. pursuing a profoundly hostile course on our country, maintaining the erstwhile imbalance in approaches to the CTBT between Moscow and Washington proved no longer possible," the ministry said.