Vienna, Nov. 13, (dpa/GNA) – One year after withdrawing from an international treaty banning nuclear weapons testing, Russia is continuing to work on the global monitoring of the pact, the head of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) told dpa.
CTCBO member states on Tuesday extended Robert Floyd’s term as head of the organization by four years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in November 2023 formally withdrew Moscow’s ratification of the ban, meaning that the country is no longer legally bound by the treaty.
“That was a very disappointing and deeply regrettable decision,” said Floyd.
Nevertheless, Russia has since put another monitoring station into operation to detect nuclear tests, he reported. There are now 32 Russian stations providing data to the CTBTO and other countries.
CTBTO chief expects constructive cooperation with Trump
The devices are part of the global CTBTO network of around 300 measuring stations that look out for vibrations, sound waves and chemical signals which could be produced by nuclear tests. “States know that if they were to choose to test that they can’t hide that,” said Floyd.
Putin had justified the withdrawal from the CTBTO by saying that Russia must have the same options as the other major nuclear power, the United States.
Unlike Russia, the US never ratified the treaty. Still, the US, like all other countries except North Korea, has complied with the test ban since the 1990s.
“I anticipate that we will continue to have a constructive relationship with the new Trump administration,” Floyd said of the upcoming change of government in the US following Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election.
The Australian pointed out that relations between Washington and the CTBTO had already been constructive during Trump’s first term as president.
GNA