Ban Ki-Moon says Nuclear Test Ban Treaty should go in force by 2012.

26/8 Tass 181

ASTANA, August 26 (Itar-Tass) - The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Treaty should go in force by 2012, UN Secretary General Ban Ki- Moon
declared in his address to an international conference held in Astana on
Thursday. In his address, read out to the conference, the UN secretary
general called on the world community to accomplish this goal by 2012.
In his address Ban Ki-Moon stressed that the Treaty is an important
instrument in the cause of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and
disarmament. He welcomed an initiative put forward by Kazakhstan to
organize a conference to discuss political aspects of cessation of nuclear
tests and elimination of nuclear weapons, social and economic challenges
and also the future of the Semipalatinsk region.
He called on the world community to think hard about the consequences
of nuclear weapons tests held in Semipalatinsk and in other parts of the
world.
The conference is being held in Kazakhstan in the run-up to
International Day of Action against nuclear tests.
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