MOSCOW, October 20 Law on withdrawal of ratification of the Comprehensive Treaty The ban on nuclear tests (CTBT) is included in the agenda of the Federation Council meeting on October 25, Vice-Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev said in his Telegram channel.
Konstantin Kosachev confirmed that “the Federation Council has received an adopted federal law canceling the ratification of the CTBT.” “The Upper House will consider it at its next meeting on October 25,” said the politician.
The State Duma has already supported the document.
Earlier, the first deputy head of the international committee of the Federation Council, Vladimir Dzhabarov, said that the committee would discuss legislation at Monday's meeting. He believes that senators will support the withdrawal of ratification of the CTBT.
The law proposes to repeal Article 1 of the law “On the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.” It proposes to ratify the CTBT, signed on behalf of the Russian Federation in New York on September 24, 1996.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously stated that Russia could behave in a mirror manner towards the United States; the State Duma could revoke ratification of the CTBT. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later noted that Russia's possible refusal to ratify the CTBT does not mean an intention to conduct nuclear tests.
The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1996. However, a number of countries, including the United States, have not yet ratified it, unlike Russia, which did so in 2000. At the same time, countries that have nuclear weapons have made voluntary commitments not to conduct such tests. In March, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Ryabkov noted that the situation around the CTBT is causing increasing concern due to US actions. -0-