Baku, September 30, AZERTAC

“We welcome the fact that CTBT has achieved near universal adherence with signatures by 183 States and ratification by 164 States. At the same time, despite the aspiration to achieve the early entry into force of the treaty, which has been so clearly expressed by the international community on numerous occasions, more should be done to ensure the universality of CTBT and worldwide nuclear security,” said Azerbaijan`s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov as he addressed the ninth conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

The FM said: “We commend the efforts undertaken so far by the Preparatory Commission and the Provisional Technical Secretariat on the implementation of the treaty clauses, in particular on the establishment of the International Monitoring System, the On-site Inspection elements and the International Data Center in Vienna.

In addition to its primary function, the treaty verification system brings scientific and civil benefits, including disaster alert systems, through civil and scientific applications of waveform and radionuclide technologies and use of the data. We are encouraged that CTBT verification regime has demonstrated its utility in providing accurate real-time data relating to major earthquakes, tsunamis and nuclear accidents, as well as other civil scientific applications to all signatory States. Since the data accumulated in the International Data Center could be used for the civil and scientific purposes, it is important to seek the ways to ensure that those capabilities are broadly benefited by the international community.

We also commend the Provisional Technical Secretariat for providing relevant training courses and workshops, and rendering assistance to the signatory States for advancing their capabilities to ensure the effective implementation of the treaty clauses.

In that regard, we note the technical assistance provided three years ago within the framework of the Capacity Building Program that ensured the provision of relevant basic equipment and technologies for the National Data Center established in the Institute of Geology of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. While this assistance significantly contributed to the capabilities of the National Date Center in Azerbaijan, more efforts are needed to revitalize the activities and operation and to receive more capacity building assistance for the Center.

Azerbaijan is interested in further strengthening its national capacities, especially through receiving state-of-the-art technologies and expanding training opportunities for specialists on verification technologies, and other areas of activities of CTBTO.“