Editing Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (section)

=== A comprehensive ban ===

In 1974, a step towards a comprehensive test ban was made with the [[Threshold Test Ban Treaty]] (TTBT), ratified by the US and Soviet Union, which banned underground tests with yields above 150 kilotons.<ref name="nsa2" /><ref>{{cite web |title=The Flawed Test Ban Treaty |publisher=[[The Heritage Foundation]] |date=27 March 1984 |url=http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/1984/03/the-flawed-test-ban-treaty |access-date=12 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920213407/http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/1984/03/the-flawed-test-ban-treaty |archive-date=20 September 2016 |url-status=unfit}}</ref> In April 1976, the two states reached agreement on the [[Peaceful Nuclear Explosions Treaty]] (PNET), which concerns nuclear detonations outside the weapons sites discussed in the TTBT. As in the TTBT, the US and Soviet Union agreed to bar [[peaceful nuclear explosions]] (PNEs) at these other locations with yields above 150 kilotons, as well as group explosions with total yields over 1,500 kilotons. To verify compliance, the PNET requires that states rely on [[national technical means of verification]], share information on explosions, and grant on-site access to counterparties. The TTBT and PNET entered into force on 11 December 1990.<ref name="pnetreaty">{{cite web |title=Peaceful Nuclear Explosions Treaty (PNET) |url=https://1997-2001.state.gov/www/global/arms/treaties/pne1.html#1 |publisher=[[United States Department of State]] |access-date=14 August 2016}}</ref>[[File:President Ronald Reagan talks with Mikhail Gorbachev in the Oval Office during the Washington Summit.jpg|thumb|250px|Reagan and Gorbachev, December 1987]]

In October 1977, the US, UK, and Soviet Union returned to negotiations over a test ban. These three nuclear powers made notable progress in the late 1970s, agreeing to terms on a ban on all testing, including a temporary prohibition on PNEs, but continued disagreements over the compliance mechanisms led to an end to negotiations ahead of [[Ronald Reagan]]'s inauguration as president in 1981.<ref name=faschron /> In 1985, Soviet leader [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] announced a unilateral testing moratorium, and in December 1986, Reagan reaffirmed US commitment to pursue the long-term goal of a comprehensive test ban. In February 1987, the Soviets ended their test moratorium as the US had not reciprocated. In November 1987, negotiations on a test ban restarted, followed by a joint US-Soviet program to research underground-test detection in December 1987.<ref name=faschron /><ref>{{cite news |title=In Remotest Nevada, a Joint U.S. and Soviet Test |last=Blakeslee |first=Sandra |date=18 August 1988 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/18/world/in-remotest-nevada-a-joint-us-and-soviet-test.html |access-date=11 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822101507/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/18/world/in-remotest-nevada-a-joint-us-and-soviet-test.html |archive-date=22 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Partially pressured by the protests causing the shutdown of the [[Semipalatinsk Test Site]], in October 1991, the Soviet Union announced another unilateral testing moratorium. Three days before its expiration, [[George H. W. Bush]] signed into law a reciprocal testing moratorium. President [[Bill Clinton]] later repeatedly extended this until the 1996 Treaty signature opening.<ref name="r072">{{cite web |date=1991-08-29 |title=Nuclear Testing and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Timeline |url=https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/nuclear-testing-and-comprehensive-test-ban-treaty-ctbt-timeline |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=Arms Control Association}}</ref>

The Treaty was adopted by the [[United Nations General Assembly]] on 10 September 1996.<ref name="untc2">United Nations Treaty Collection (2009).  "[http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&id=488&chapter=26&lang=en Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403215147/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&id=488&chapter=26&lang=en|date=3 April 2015}}". Retrieved 23 August 2009.</ref> It opened for signature in New York on 24 September 1996.<ref name="untc2" /> The United States was the first nation to sign the treaty. Ratification by the US Senate was delayed by almost three years. On 13 October 1999, the resolution to ratify the CTBT, including an amendment of six safeguards, was defeated by a 51-48 vote, mostly along party lines. Unlike previous nuclear treaties, which had weeks of committee hearings and days of floor consideration, the CTBT received zero committee hearing and 18 hours of floor consideration. It was the first security-related treaty to be rejected by the Senate since the [[Treaty of Versailles]], 80 years prior.<ref name="l618">{{cite web |date=1999-09-01 |title=Senate Rejects Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; Clinton Vows to Continue Moratorium |url=https://www.armscontrol.org/act/1999-09/press-releases/senate-rejects-comprehensive-test-ban-treaty-clinton-vows-continue |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Arms Control Association}}</ref>

In the aftermath, and leadup to the [[2000 United States presidential election]], Republican candidates such as [[George W. Bush]] and [[John McCain]] voiced their opposition to the CTBT, but support for the testing moratorium. Following Bush's election victory, there was speculation testing would resume, pointing to the CTBT's "supreme national interest" provision where nations may withdraw if they feel their security is threatened by deteriorating warheads.<ref name="d175">{{cite journal |last=Hansen |first=Chuck |date=2001-03-01 |title=Beware the old story |journal=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists |volume=57 |issue=2 |pages=52–55 |doi=10.2968/057002015 |issn=0096-3402}}</ref>

In October 2023, Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] stated that since the United States had not ratified the CTBT, consideration could be given to [[treaty#Withdrawal|withdrawing]] Russia's ratification of the treaty. Later in the month, a law revoking ratification of the CTBT was passed by the Russian parliament.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/policy/international/4274998-russia-simulates-nuclear-strike-after-lawmakers-remind-test-ban-treaty-ratification/ |title=Russia simulates nuclear strike after lawmakers revoke test ban treaty ratification |last=Irwin |first=Lauren |date=25 October 2023 |website=The Hill |access-date=26 October 2023}}</ref> On 2 November, Putin officially signed into law the withdrawal of ratification of the treaty.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-11-02 |title=Putin revokes Russia's ratification of nuclear test ban treaty |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-revokes-russias-ratification-nuclear-test-ban-treaty-2023-11-02/ |access-date=2023-11-02}}</ref>