Issued by: The Department of Foreign Affairs
SOUTH AFRICA PLEASED ABOUT FRENCH CESSATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPON TESTS
The South African Government is pleased about the announcement by President Chirac on 29 January 1996 that France has ceased its nuclear weapon tests and that the Protocols of the Rarotonga Treaty, which establishes a nuclear free zone in the South Pacific, will be signed by France shortly.
The South African Government is convinced that the cessation of all nuclear testing will enhance the climate for negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) within the 1996 deadline with has been set by the international community. The early and successful conclusion of a CTBT is the most important priority for the negotiators at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva this year. The conclusion of a CTBT in 1996 forms an integral part of the agreement on "Principles and Objectives for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament", which was adopted by consensus at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review and Extension Conference during May last year. This deadline was subsequently confirmed by the entire international community when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the consensus resolution on the CTBT (50/65) calling for the completion of the Conference on Disarmament negotiations so as to enable the Treaty to be signed at the outset of this year's General Assembly session. South Africa furthermore regards the CTBT as integral to the achievement of the continued and common goal of increased international peace and security.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA, 2 FEBRUARY 1996