MOSCOW, March 27. /TASS/. The United States has taken no practical steps yet to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) despite the repeated pledges to do so, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
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"The main load of responsibility that the CTBT has not entered into force so far lies on the eight remaining countries from the so-called "list of 44" whose ratification documents are needed to launch the treaty ," the ministry says.
The ministry explained that "first of all this refers to the United States of America, a country that positions itself as a leader in the sphere of strengthening the regime of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament."
"Unfortunately, despite the repeated statements on the plans to ratify the Treaty, the US has yet taken no practical steps in this direction," the ministry’s statement reads.
The ministry also welcomed the ratification of the treaty by Angola.
Angola became the 164th country to ratify the CTBT. The treaty has been signed by a total of 183 states.
"Such a decision of Luanda [Angola’s capital] certainly brings the CTBT closer to a universal status and contributes to its turning into a valid international-legal tool," the ministry said.
"Confirming the country’s continuous commitment to the CTBT and the readiness to secure its speedy entry into legal force, we once again call on all the states that have not yet signed or not ratified the Treaty to do it without delay or preconditions," the statement reads.