Ploughshares Fund board member and UN Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas [2]joined Secretary General Ban Ki Moon [3], former Defense Secretary William Perry [4]and foreign ministers from around the world [5]at the UN on September 24th, calling for early entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). "Addressing you today," said Douglas, "I feel both honored and a deep sense of responsibility, because I am not a diplomat, a foreign minister or an expert. Thus, I feel a duty to speak as a citizen of the planet. Bringing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty into force must not be held up any longer by the intransigence of a few," referring to the nine countries, including the U.S., who still have to ratify the Treaty before it can take effect. The CTBT bans all nuclear explosions on earth, and is a fundamental step in preventing the further development of nuclear weapons and curbing their spread. Read Douglas' statement here [6].
Links
[1] https://ploughshares.org/file/392
[2] http://ploughshares.org/about-us/michael-douglas
[3] http://www.un.org/sg/biography.shtml
[4] http://cisac.stanford.edu/people/williamjperry/
[5] http://www.ctbto.org/press-centre/press-releases/2008/ministers-call-upon-remainingnine-countries-to-clear-wayfor-nuclear-test-ban-treaty/
[6] http://ploughshares.org/content/240908_douglas_speech.pdf
[7] http://www.ctbto.org/press-centre/highlights/2008/the-2008-ctbt-ministerial-meeting-a-message-of-hope-and-peace/