Sri Lanka to ratify Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

The Cabinet nod has been granted to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) after 27 years into signing the agreement.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry on Monday sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to ratify the CTBT and to initiate the necessary steps for legislation to enforce the provisions of the agreement.

The CTBT bans all nuclear explosions, whether for military or peaceful purposes. 
It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10th of September in 1996. Sri Lanka signed it on October 14, in 1996. To-date,186 countries have signed the agreement and out of that,177 countries have ratified the agreement. 

The Department of Government Information noted that the ratification would allow Sri Lanka to access useful data on tsunami warnings, climate change and geographical studies.
Sri Lanka is currently cooperating with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization in the areas of training, capacity development, data and information sharing. 
Sri Lanka is also currently in discussions with Russia to build a 110 MW small nuclear power plant in the country.