The United Nations Security Council Friday called on Pakistan, India and six more nations to ratify a treaty banning nuclear explosions, which would allow the deal negotiated two decades ago to come into effect.
The other six countries, urged to formally endorse the agreement, known as Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), include Israel, China, the United States, North Korea, Egypt and Iran.
With 14 votes in favor to one abstention (Egypt), the 15-member Council welcomed progress made towards universalization of the 1996 Treaty.
So far, 183 States have signed the Treaty and 166 States have deposited their instruments of ratification.
Over the last two decades, India, Pakistan and North Korea have conducted nuclear tests.
Although, India and Pakistan are not formally recognized as nuclear powers, they have advanced their programs since carrying out tit-for-tat nuclear explosions in 1998.
The UNSC resolution calls on all states to refrain from conducting any nuclear explosions.
Under Barack Obama, the United States has said it would like to ratify the treaty, but a number of U.S. lawmakers, especially Republicans, oppose, that a ratification of the pact would limit Washington’s security options.
“Our affirmative vote here is a sign of our unwavering commitment to a safer world in which nuclear technology is used solely for peaceful purposes and the risk of nuclear conflict is no more,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
He said the resolution does not impose a legal prohibition on testing or require governments to adopt new reporting.
“But it does reinforce the core purposes and objectives of the CTBT itself: to diminish our reliance on nuclear devices, to reduce competition among nuclear powers, and to promote responsible disarmament,” the top American diplomat added.
