VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The United States of America tested medium-range cruise missiles on Sunday (18/8), a few weeks after withdrawing from the Cold War era nuclear treaty with Russia, Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). The US Department of Defense reported that the missile was launched from the US Navy base on San Nicolas Island, California. The missile is capable of reaching distances of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. Data collected and lessons learned from this test will provide information for the development of medium-range missile capabilities for the US Department of Defense. After leaving INF on August 2, US President Donald Trump insisted that his side canceled the treaty because he suspected Russia violated a number of requirements. Russia and China have asked the United Nations Security Council (UN) to meet on Thursday (22/8) to discuss "statements by United States (US) officials to develop and use medium-range missiles". The two countries want to bring together 15 councilors on the agenda to discuss "threats to international peace and security. Moscow and Beijing have also asked Head of UN Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu to urge Washington to reconsider its missile development.Of course, the US medium-range missile test has raised international concern, especially when the United States has left the INF, because the treaty actually bans the development of missiles both conventional and modern nuclear that can reach between 500 to 5,500 kilometers. Since the United States disobeys the INF, some possibilities may happen next.A thorough ban on nuclear test is an indispensible step in achieving the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons both medium and long distance. Efforts by the international community to realize the ban on nuclear test have been carried out since the early years of the establishment of the United Nations -UN. In its development, the UN created the Partial Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (PTBT) in 1963. This treaty bans nuclear tests in the air, in space and at sea. Then, the Threshold Test-Ban Treaty (TTBT) created in 1976 also bans nuclear tests above a capacity of 150 kilotons, and the Peaceful Nuclear Explosions Treaty in 1976 bans nuclear tests for military purposes.Of course in general, the world community and in particular, the international organizations such as the United Nations as the world's police must reach a binding consensus that development and nuclear test of any kinds must be prevented immediately. If not, this will trigger and exacerbate military tension either inter-nation or inter-continent.