New Zealand warmly welcomes Indonesia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu said today.

“New Zealand is a longstanding supporter of the CTBT, and we congratulate Indonesia for its leadership on this important global issue.”

First opened for signature in 1996, the CTBT will put into place a binding and verifiable ban on all nuclear test explosions worldwide once it enters into force.

National Member of Parliament, Georgina te Heuheu, today announced her decision to retire from politics at the end of the current term.



"Now is a good time to go. The National Party is in good heart. It has strong leadership. The National Government has outlined a credible programme for New Zealand's future, and it's now time for family and friends.

New Zealand warmly welcomes US President Obama’s decision to seek Senate consent to ratify the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty protocols, Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu said today.

“This is a very pleasing development. US ratification, if approved by the Senate, would further strengthen the South Pacific’s status as a nuclear-weapon-free zone.

Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu has today welcomed the United States’ decision to ratify the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with Russia.

The New START treaty limits the number of US and Russian deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 on each side – a 30 per cent reduction on current levels. It also limits the numbers of delivery vehicles (missiles and bombers), and puts in place a system of bilateral inspections to ensure compliance.

New Zealand will provide $1.1 million to the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to help clear unexploded cluster munitions left in the north-east of the country, Disarmam

Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Hon Georgina te Heuheu will travel to Vientiane, Laos next week to lead the New Zealand delegation at the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on

Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu says this Sunday marks a significant milestone in the international disarmament calendar with the international treaty banning cluster bombs coming into forc

New Zealand will host the annual plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in Christchurch next week, Disarmament Minister Hon Georgina te Heuheu announced today.

Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu today welcomed the success of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which completed its work in New York earlier today (NZ time) with the a

Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu today urged all states to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to continue to push for a strong outcome from the Review Conference presently underway i

Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu today called on the 189 countries assembled for the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in New York to seize on this historic oppo

Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu has welcomed news that Samoa has ratified the Cluster Munitions Convention.

Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu has welcomed US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's announcement that the United States will work towards adhering to the South Pacific Nucle

Close on the heels of the Prime Minister's recent attendance at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC, New Zealand's top priority at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference (N

Forty years after its entry into force on 5 March 1970, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains at the heart of the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation reg

Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Georgina te Heuheu says New Zealanders should be proud of the role New Zealand played in the international banning of cluster bombs.

New Zealand has ratified the Cluster Munitions Disarmament Convention which bans the use, development, production and stockpiling of cluster munitions, Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Georgin

A Bill implementing New Zealand's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions today received its Third Reading in Parliament.

New Zealand's objective to free the world of landmines was spelt out in Colombia last week by Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Georgina te Heuheu.

Disarmament Minister Georgina te Heuheu leaves today for Cartagena, Colombia to take part in a global summit on landmines.

The Conference on Disarmament's decision to adopt a programme of work is a significant step forward for global disarmament efforts, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control Georgina te Heuheu said