The Independent Commission on the Verifiability of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was established in August 2000. The Commission produced a report assessing the likelihood that countries would be caught if they attempted to cheat on the treaty. The Commission assessed the treaty's verifiability both:
currently, in terms of the existing capabilities available to the international community, and in the future, once the complete array of capabilities envisaged in the treaty is functioning.
Reporting the Commission's findings
The Commission, in preparing its findings, operated for the most part
'virtually'. However, it did convene from 26 to 27 October 2000 in London
to hear presentations on all relevant subjects and to finalise its report.
The meeting included the Commissioners and a limited number of non-participant
observers. It was opened by The Rt. Hon. Peter Hain, MP. A public
seminar was held in London on 30 October to present the Commission's findings.
Additional presatitions were made in New York, Washington DC and Vienna
in the late 2000 and early 2001.
The report detailing the Commission's findings was published on 7 November 2000 and is availaible from the Commission Secretariat at the address below. A PDF version of the report is also available. This report is best viewed using Adobe Acrobat version 4. Please note that this is a very large file. An unofficial, text-only German translation by the Commission Secretary, Dr Oliver Meier, is also available.
Commission Members and their CVs
Subjects Examined by the Commission
Speech Opening the Commission's meeting in London by The Rt. Hon. Peter Hain, MP, Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 30 October 2000
Commissioners' Papers on their Areas of Expertise
External Submissions to the Commission
For more information contact:
Funding for the project was received from the Ploughshares Fund, the John Merck Fund, Rockefeller Family Philanthropic Offices, and the governments of Germany and the United Kingdom.
The Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC), 56-64 Leonard Street, Development House, London, EC2A 4JX, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7065 0880 Fax: +44 (0)20 7065 0890 E-mail: info@vertic.org