Statement by the Delegation of the Republic of Armenia at the Sixty-Fourth Session of the Working Group B of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization

18 February, 2025

Chair,

At the outset, we extend our congratulations on your reappointment, as well as that of the Vice-Chairs, and assure you of Armenia's continued support and cooperation.

We also wish to express our gratitude to you and the Provisional Technical Secretariat for the preparations of this session, as well as for providing the briefing materials and all relevant documents in a timely manner.

We thank the Executive Secretary, Dr. Robert Floyd, for his opening statement and for the report on verification-related activities for the period July-December 2024, which we have duly noted. We look forward to the presentations by the PTS Directors and staff of the International Monitoring System, the International Data Centre, and the On-Site Inspection Divisions, regarding the implementation of the verification-related program.

Chair,

Armenia firmly believes that the verification system and monitoring capabilities of the CTBTO should be used exclusively for the purposes related to the mandate of the CTBTO and within the scope of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). We thank the PTS for circulating the Initial Draft of the Programme and Budget Proposals for 2026-2027. We have taken note of these documents and are ready to constructively engage in further discussions on this matter.

The verification and monitoring system of the CTBTO, comprising the IMS and the IDC, is one of the organization's most important assets, serving as an efficient and sophisticated tool for global non-proliferation efforts by enabling the detection and verification of nuclear test activities worldwide. Therefore, we strongly believe that the further enhancement of these capabilities should remain the central focus of both the PTS and the Commission. We look forward to discussing the scenarios presented by the PTS, in order to identify solutions that will ensure continued data availability and reliability, safeguarding this invaluable asset.

We place great importance to continuous development of national verification and monitoring capacities. In this context, we deeply appreciate the capacity-building exercises and training organized by the PTS for relevant national experts of state signatories.

We consider capacity-building activities to be indispensable in developing a strong pool of national expertise and strongly encourage the PTS to continue its training programs and other capacity-building efforts. We express our full support for these initiatives.

Chair,

Armenia considers the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty an essential pillar of the global non-proliferation regime and nuclear disarmament.

As a steadfast supporter of the global non-proliferation agenda, we support all efforts aimed at promoting the Treaty’s entry into force and its universalization. Therefore, we commend and appreciate the outreach activities and efforts of the Executive Secretary in this regard.

In conclusion, we look forward to engaging in productive discussions throughout this session.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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