Pak reiterates commitment to nuclear test moratorium

Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to nuclear test moratorium at a ministerial meeting held earlier this week by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) in Vienna.

India did not participate in the meeting, which was held on Monday.

Pakistan's Ambassador in Vienna, Ayesha Riaz, affirmed Islamabad's stance that despite being a non-signatory to the treaty it supported the treaty's objective by maintaining a voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing, reports Dawn.

Riaz also assured that Pakistan would not be the first to resume nuclear testing in its region.

The countries that are still to ratify the treaty were invited to join member states and the CTBTO to discuss the future.

With reference to the United States backing India's bid to join the NSG without signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Riaz also called for a non-discriminatory and criteria-based approach for integrating and mainstreaming states outside the Non-Proliferation Instruments (NPT).

US Undersecretary Rose Gottemoeller, who represented Washington in the meeting, read out a message from President Barack Obama, noting that a legally binding prohibition on nuclear weapon tests or any other nuclear explosions was a meaningful step towards nuclear disarmament.