ABSTRACT
A legally binding accord banning nuclear explosions in any environment and for any reason has been a goal of non-proliferation and arms control proponents for over five decades. The prospects of such a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) have repeatedly waxed and waned over the years as the positions of crucial states have alternated between vigorous support, unyielding opposition and apathy. The organization will consist of three tiers: the Conference of States Parties, the Executive Council and the Technical Secretariat. The Secretariat will be divided into the International Monitoring System (IMS); the International Data Centre and the On-Site Inspections Division. The IMS consists of a global network of monitoring stations that seek to detect the seismic waves, hydroacoustic waves, infrasound waves or radioactive particles generated by a nuclear explosion. Pending the treaty's entry into force, a preparatory commission has been tasked with preparing the IMS and the verification regime.
