ABSTRACT
The ambition of prohibiting nuclear testing has been with us for more than half a century and the test ban treaty since 1996. The process towards entry into force of the treaty was interrupted when the US Senate rejected the treaty in 1999. This chapter will identify and discuss some of the key issues that are likely to be addressed if and when the treaty is being considered again. Can we maintain confidence in our nuclear-weapon systems without nuclear testing? How can we verify that other states refrain from testing? How would the entry into force of the treaty affect our efforts on nonproliferation and disarmament? Before dealing with those issues I will present a short background on nuclear testing, the test ban negotiations and the treaty.
