Ukraine and PC CTBTO
Ukraine signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty on 27 September 1996 and ratified it on 16 November 2000. On 23 February 2001 Ukraine deposited its instrument of ratification with the General Secretary of the United Nations. The governmental bodies responsible for the implementation of the Treaty in Ukraine are National Space Agency of Ukraine and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
To secure the proper implementation of the Treaty’s provisions the Agreement was signed on September 17, 1999 between the PC CTBTO and Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the conduct of activities, including post-certification activities, relating to international monitoring facilities for the CTBT. The Agreement was ratified by the Parliament of Ukraine on November 16, 2000 and on April 20, 2001 the PTS PC CTBTO was notified that the national procedures for the entry into force of the Agreement had been fulfilled by Ukraine.
According to the Agreement one seismological station PS 45 (Malyn) with communication link - National Data Center (Makariv) were deployed in the territory of Ukraine. The station and the terminal are connected to the IMS and, using the PC CTBTO Global communication infrastructure (GCI), transfer information to the International Data Center (IDC) located in Vienna. In turn, Ukrainian national center receives information and data from over 200 seismological and geophysical stations around the world interconnected by the GCI.
On October 10, 2002 the Protocol on transfer of responsibilities over PS 45 station to the National control and spacecraft testing center of the National Space Agency of Ukraine was signed. On December 16, 2002 Ukrainian station was officially certified by the PTS PC CTBTO. Since January 1, 2003 the station has been used by the IMS in accordance with the indefinite-term contract with Ukraine. Post certification maintenance of the station is provided by the PTS and at the expense of the PC CTBTO.
Recently the PS 45 station was upgraded in close contractual cooperation between the PTS and US SAIC Company. To date, the station conforms to all advanced standards. This allows Ukraine to control affectively the implementation of the CTBT as well as to conduct scientific researches of anthropogenic and ecological impacts as well as in the spheres of seismology, hydrology, meteorology etc. Besides, Ukraine receives IDC data from all CTBT monitoring technologies: seismological, hydrophone, infrasound and radionuclide. The received data is transferred to the central emergency information and analysis system to provide the Government of Ukraine with all updated information.
Ukraine actively participates in the PTS training activities. For example, in 2005 the international practical workshop for GCI operators was organized in Kyiv in close cooperation with the PTS. Important impetus to the work of the PC was the organization in summer 2007 of a direct field exercise in the Chernobyl NPP Alienation Zone. Main task of the exercise was to test different air and surface gamma-radiation monitoring methods, techniques for environmental analysis with the aim to define optimal technical requirements necessary to measure radiation and radionuclide levels and to elaborate standard procedures documentation. Another important direction of Ukraine’s activities within the PC CTBTO is the promotion of early entry into force of the Treaty. Ukraine served as a coordinator in region of Eastern Europe for this purposes till the moment when all 23 states of the region signed and ratified the CTBT.
Delegation of Ukraine participates in the work of the main decision making bodies of the PC CTBTO - plenary sessions and meetings of its working groups. In 2005 Ukraine exercised functions of the Vice-Chairman of the Commission and in 2006 Chaired the PC CTBTO.
Annually Ukraine contributes 0,04% of the regular budget of the Commission. In 2010 this sum constitutes 17098 US$ and 25623 Euro.
Links:
1. The Law of Ukraine on ratification of the CTBT (ukr.)
2. Agreement between the PC CTBTO and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the conduct of activities, including post-certification activities, relating to international monitoring facilities (eng.) (ukr.)
3. The Law of Ukraine on ratification of Agreement between the PC CTBTO and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the conduct of activities, including post-certification activities, relating to international monitoring facilities (ukr.)