Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the CTBTO, explains the importance of the Pugwash Conference to bring together nuclear and non-nuclear states, the need for an early entry into force of the CTBT, and calls for coercive diplomacy in addition to imposing sanctions against North Korea. Venue of the interview during the Pugwash Conference on ‘Confronting New Nuclear Dangers’ (August 25-29, 2017) was the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, Astana, Kazakhstan.