FM: Time for Indonesia to ratify nuclear test ban treaty

Antara News, Wednesday, December 1, 2010 22:35 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said it was now time for Indonesia to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) to raise the country`s influence as a supporter of nuclear disarmament.

"For Indonesia, the waiting time is over and the time to act has arrived. It is no longer appropriate for Indonesia to merely wait," he said here on Wednesday.

He made the statement, according to a foreign ministry statement, when explaining about the government`s plan to ratify the CTBT in a meeting with House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Commission I.

He said now was the right momentum for disarmament and Indonesia should show its leadership by proactively ratifying the CTBT.

He said this would strengthen Indonesia`s position and influence as a country that supports nuclear disarmament and give strong pressure on other countries to do the same.

So far, although it has been active in the CTBT discussions Indonesia has not decided to ratify the agreement.

Indonesia has viewed that countries that possess nuclear arms should be the first party that ratify and respect the CTBT.

The position has raised the world`s attention to countries that possess nuclear arms to meet their obligations and in the course of time make three nuclear countries namely Britain, France and Russia ratify the deal.

Indonesia`s decision to ratify the CTBT was hailed by a number of countries and international organizations such as New Zealand, Germany, France, the US and the CTBT executive secretary and drew appreciation from a number of multilateral forums such as the UN and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

"The decision has also driven a number of countries to ratifiy the CTBT or start ratifying it," he said.

In the CTBT Indonesia is categorized as an Annex II Group member or a country that has no nuclear arms but has the capacity to develop it.

Indonesia`s commitment to CTBT is a must and has existed since the treaty was initiated and has even become a sponsor in the effort.

In early 1990s Indonesia along with Mexico, Peru, Sri Lanka and Venezuela was actively sponsoring efforts to create an international instrument to regulate a comprehensive nuclear test ban.

The late foreign minister Ali Alatas had played as a president of the conference on Partial Test Bank Treaty (PTBT) in 1991.

In the capacity as coordinator of the Working Group on Disarmament of the Non-Aligned Movement, Indonesia was actively involved in the CTBT talks in the Disarmament Conference forum in Geneva until the draft of the CTBT was ratified by the United Nations on September 24, 1996.

Indonesia has been consistent in supporting and in its view that CTBT is an important element in the international regime for disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation.

The Indonesian commitment and position has been implemented by the country by its participation in several instruments and international agencies concerned.

At a regional level Indonesia has been the pioneer in the formulation of a treaty on Southeast Asia Nuclear Free Zone in 1995.