Activities and Events

Recent and upcoming nonproliferation activities, events, and announcements involving the CNS center, staff, and programs.
Updated: Mar 30, 2012

CNS Experts Comment on National Academies of Science Test Ban Report

The report investigates the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear arsenal in the absence of nuclear weapon test explosions.

On March 30, 2012, a panel of experts from the National Academies of Science released a report investigating the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear arsenal in the absence of nuclear weapon test explosions. The report, commissioned by the Departments of Energy and State in 2009, seeks to review and update the findings of the previous report, released in 2002, in four major areas of relevance to the U.S. ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The areas include safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile; national and international capabilities to detect nuclear explosions and advances in this respect over the past decade; commitments required to sustain the monitoring and verification regime; and possible technical advances other nuclear-weapon possessors may achieve through testing.

In 1999, the U.S. Senate voted against giving its advice and consent to ratification of the CTBT. The United States, along with China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel and Pakistan, remain the key hold-outs preventing the treaty from entering into force. The CTBT requires 44 specific "Annex 2" states to ratify the treaty before it enters into force. Among these states, Indonesia was the latest to join the pact on February 6, 2012.

CNS Experts Comment

Dr. Ferenc Dalnoki-Veress

Scientist-in-Residence
"It is in the interest of the United States to evaluate ratification of the CTBT based on good science and sound judgment. The report by the National Academies released today will go a long way for setting a baseline on which the ratification of the treaty by the United States can be soberly discussed."

Elena Sokova

Executive Director, Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
"This authoritative report from the National Academies of Sciences will hopefully put to rest arguments used by opponents of the CTBT in the US Congress. It is time for them to demonstrate real leadership and approve the treaty rather than keep it hostage to political games in Washington, DC."

Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova

Senior Research Associate
"The report underscores that it is indeed time for the United States to leave the questionable company of CTBT outliers and make good on its long-overdue promise of a complete ban on nuclear testing."


CNS's previous work on the CTBT can be found here:

Related Link

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Resources
Collected resources on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Return to Top