The National Assembly has unanimously approved the ratification of the Convention on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and its protocol.

The motion to ratify the treaty was brought forth by the Leader of Government Business, Honourable Patrick Herminie, in the Assembly's sitting on Tuesday March 16.

The treaty was signed by the government in September 1996, with its main objective to put a stop to nuclear tests and discourage the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in turn lessening the possibility of nuclear war.

While presenting the motion, Mr Herminie said that by ratifying the treaty Seychelles would be helping to promote peace and world security.

Mr Herminie said key provisions in the treaty guaranteed that member countries do not carry out nuclear tests on their territories and prevented other countries from carrying out such tests on their territories.

Citizens from member countries are also not allowed to participate in any nuclear tests.

Mr Herminie said the body to be responsible for the implementation of the treaty would be based in Vienna, Austria and would comprise a general assembly, an executive council of 51 members and a technical secretariat, to be headed by a director general.

Each member country, he said, would have to set up a national authority as a liaison with the Vienna-based organisation, adding that all member countries would meet once a year to discuss the state of the treaty.

Both the Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Wavel Ramkalawan, and Member of the National Assembly for Les Mamelles, Honourable Bernard Georges, spoke in favour of the motion.

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