Nuclear test ban could become reality without North Korea

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty can be brought into force despite North Korea's repeated nuclear tests and continued intransigence, experts say. Daryl Kimball of the Ploughshares-funded Arms Control Association said, "The CTBT is one of the best ways to further reinforce the norm against nuclear test explosions." Kimball argued, "If, in the end, we have 43 of the 44 states listed and North Korea is the last holdout state, there are options that are available or can be created," he told Global Security Newswire. For instance, parties could agree that the treaty would enter into force on a "provisional basis," Kimball said, enacting the verification regime without North Korea.

Annex Two countries that are parties to, signatories to, or are outside the CTBT are coloured red, orange and yellow respectively. Other states that are parties to, signatories to, or are outside the CTBT are coloured blue, azure and cyan respectively.