- Jaap Ramaker (left) at the 2007 Article XIV Conference in Vienna, Austria.
During the negotiations, Canada came up with the brilliant idea of convening, after a few years a conference of Ratifying Parties every couple of years – as we did in Vienna in September 2007 – to keep the Treaty high on the political agenda and in the media. There was also the idea of meetings of key foreign ministers in the alternating years between these Article XIV Conferences, an idea worked out by the Netherlands, Australia and Japan. After all, we all knew that, with the Entry into Force clause that we have in the Treaty, it was going to be a long time before the Treaty would take effect.
The period 1994 to 1996 marked the first time the five Nuclear Weapon States successfully negotiated nuclear issues amongst themselves. That is very often forgotten. Seen as a “trendsetter”, the headway they made was notable – and just what was needed at that point.
Q: In 2003, and again in 2005 and 2007, you were appointed as Special Representative to promote the CTBT ratification process. What does that involve?
My work involves establishing contacts with the governments of countries that have yet to sign or ratify the Treaty. I work on two levels: on the one hand, with some of the outstanding Annex 2 countries and, on the other, with any and all countries other than those Annex 2 countries that are not yet on board. After all, it is clear that the larger the number of signatures and ratifications, the stronger the norm against nuclear weapons testing that actually began to take hold the moment the Treaty was concluded. And, the stronger the norm, the stronger the reaction to violating that norm. For example, when India and Pakistan tested in 1998, there was worldwide condemnation. Similarly, when the DPRK attempted to test in October 2006, it was unanimously condemned by the Security Council and the world community.
As for the remaining Annex 2 countries, I have paid in some cases bilateral visits; in other cases, that may still happen. With other non-signatory or non-ratifying States, I meet mostly in the context of international or regional conferences. The General Debate at the UN General Assembly or regional meetings, such as the Pacific Islands Forum, CARICOM or regional conferences in Africa, provide useful opportunities for me to meet with the Foreign Ministers in question.
