Ieri a New York l’Osservatore Permanente della Santa Sede presso l’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite, S.E. Mons. Renato Raffaele Martino, ha depositato lo strumento di ratifica del Trattato di Interdizione totale degli esperimenti nucleari (CTBT).

Pubblichiamo di seguito il comunicato e la Dichiarazione che accompagna lo strumento di ratifica:

Today, Archbishop Renato R. Martino, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, deposited the Holy See’s Instrument of Ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) with the Treaty Section of the Department of Legal Affairs of the United Nations Organization. The CTBT, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996, was signed by the Holy See on 24 September of that same year.

In ratifying the CTBT, the Holy See reaffirms what it stated five years ago when it added its signature to the Treaty, namely, that "the Holy See is convinced that in the sphere of nuclear weapons, the banning of tests and the further development of these weapons, disarmament and non-proliferation are closely linked and must be achieved as quickly as possible under effective international controls."

In presenting the Instrument of Ratification, Archbishop Martino reiterated the Holy See’s firm conviction that "nuclear weapons are incompatible with the peace we seek for the 21^st Century."

Archbishop Martino also expressed Vatican support for ending illicit traffic in small arms that "find their way into the hands of irregular forces, guerillas and terrorists, and play a nefarious role in drug cartels and organized crime syndicates." He also reaffirmed support for the Convention on the Total Elimination of Land Mines, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Treaty. In doing so, Archbishop Martino stated that "The conscience of humanity must make it strikingly clear that all weapons of mass destruction violate the very principles of peaceful co-existence, collaboration and solidarity among nations and peoples."

Attached to the Instrument of Ratification, the Holy See has included a Declaration which reaffirms its position with regard to the CTBT. The text of the Declaration is annexed herewith.

New York, 18 July 2001

The Holy See, in ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996 and signed by the Holy See on 24 September of the same year, wishes to repeat what was said when it added its signature: "The Holy See is convinced that in the sphere of nuclear weapons, the banning of tests and of the further development of these weapons, disarmament and non-proliferation are closely linked and must be achieved as quickly as possible under effective international controls".

In conformity with the nature and particular condition of Vatican City State, the Holy See, by this ratification, seeks to advance the genuine promotion of a culture of peace based upon the primacy of law and of respect for human life. At the beginning of the third millennium, the implementation of a system of comprehensive and complete disarmament, capable of fostering a climate of trust, cooperation and respect between all States, represents an indispensable aspect of the concrete realization of a culture of life and peace.

In lending moral support to the CTBT through this solemn act of ratification, the Holy See encourages the whole International Community, which is aware of the various challenges standing in the way of nuclear disarmament, to intensify its efforts to ensure the implementation of the said Treaty.

[01208-02.01] [Original text: English]