Ban calls for action ahead of NPT summit

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- World leaders must build on their commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation ahead of a May review summit, the U.N. secretary-general said.

World leaders are scheduled for a review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at a May conference in New York.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised recent discussions by Washington and Moscow to reduce their nuclear arsenals and move toward a replacement regime for the expiring Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

"We need to sustain this momentum, and build on it," Ban said in New York. "Now is the time."

The secretary-general called on members of the Security Council to meet annually to discuss disarmament, transparency and security issues.

"The world should pursue several related measures, including eliminating others' weapons of mass destruction; combating (weapons of mass destruction) terrorism; and bans on missiles, space weapons," he said. "We also must not lose sight of conventional weapons disarmament."