The NPT and the CTBT:an inextricable relationship

The international system of 1992 is vastly different to the cross-cutting East-West/North-South one which dominated the globe between 1945 and 1991. These developments represent and opportunity for the leading states in the West to re-assess security policies. Consideration of bold options on nuclear explosive testing prohibitions by the nuclear weapon states could produce important non-proliferation pay-offs. One option would be to negotiate by 1994 a time-limited CTBT of five years' initial duration, and make its extension in 1999 conditional on all relevant states acceding to it. Another would be to negotiate a CTBT, but make its implementation conditional upon all relevant states becoming parties simultaneous. Such options could persuade nuclear weapon states to halt their own nuclear explosive testing in the interest of nuclear non-proliferation, and thus improve the political climate for the NPT's extension in 1995. (author). 15 refs