Global Security Newswire

A White House national security staffer yesterday sought out U.S. senators in hopes of determining whether there is sufficient support for ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Washington Times reported (see GSN, Nov. 19).

In an October 1999 vote, Senate backing for the treaty fell far short of the 67 votes required for ratification. The document's detractors contended it could aid the spread of nuclear weapons while hindering the United States' ability to ensure the efficacy of its own arsenal.

However, the GOP at that time could not collect the 60 votes that would permanently take U.S. ratification of the treaty off the table.

The Obama administration is promoting the pact as a component of its arms control efforts. It is hopeful that a federal study and a comprehensive intelligence assessment now in the works could help boost Senate support for ratification.

The United States is one of 44 "Annex 2" nations that must ratify the pact before the global ban on nuclear test blasts can enter into force. It is also among the nine holdouts within that group. The others are China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan (Bill Gertz, Washington Times, Dec. 10).