Indonesia ratifies global ban on nuclear tests (AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia ? Indonesia ratified Tuesday a global treaty banning nuclear test explosions, a move welcomed by the United States.

Negotiated in the 1990s, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty specified that the 44 countries with nuclear power or research reactors at the time needed to give formal approval before it could take effect.

With the endorsement by Indonesia's parliament, the treaty is now only awaiting ratification from the United States, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan.

Indonesian lawmaker Mahfudz Siddiq urged the remaining countries ? especially the U.S. and Israel ? to get off the bench and sign.

In a statement, the White House urged all states to sign and ratify the agreement, calling it a critical element of the international effort to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The United States remains fully committed to pursuing ratification of the treaty and will continue to engage lawmakers on its importance for U.S. security, it said.

Indonesia, a nation of 240 million, has three research atomic reactors.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111206/ap_on_re_as/as_indonesia_nuclear_test_ban

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