Abstract: the ban on all nuclear tests is the oldest item on the agenda in the field of nuclear arms control. Three treaties that entered into force between 1963 and 1990 restrict, but do not prohibit, the conduct of such tests. In 1996, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CNTBT), which prohibits all nuclear explosions. As of May 2019, the CNTBT has been signed by 183 states and ratified by 164, including Russia. However, the entry into force of a Treaty requires the ratification of 44 states specified in the Treaty, of which 41 have signed the Treaty and 36 have ratified it. India, North Korea, and Pakistan have not signed the Treaty. The article examines issues related to the position of some states in relation to nuclear tests in general and, in particular, to the CNTBT (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty). In conclusion, the author emphasizes the importance of achieving universal adherence to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and ensuring its entry into force; states parties to the CNTBT are encouraged to encourage strongly all states that are not parties to the Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, especially those that operate non-guaranteed nuclear facilities, to join the Treaty as non-parties without further delay or preconditions.
Keywords: treaty, nuclear weapons, nuclear tests, prohibition, accession, ratification, disarmament