UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned Wednesday that stalled disarmament talks at a key negotiating body that includes 65 states must move forward in order to prevent arms races.
The secretary general, speaking at the opening of the 2008 Conference on Disarmament, said the body had achieved major successes in the past, but was now "in danger of losing its way".
"The Conference on Disarmament has accomplished a great deal, but its successes are distant memories," he said of the body.
"I am deeply troubled by this impasse," he said, calling for "top-level political leadership and cooperation" to overcome disagreements.
The conference, whose past accomplishments include the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, has been deadlocked for more than 10 years because of disagreement between developing countries and nuclear powers, mainly the United States.
Developing countries want a nuclear disarmament calendar and the prevention of an arms race in space as priorities, while the United States favours a treaty on fissile materials, which can be used to make weapons.
Ban expressed his "full support for the start of negotiations on a fissile material treaty".
"These talks would advance nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation objectives," he said.
He highlighted, however, the importance of also preventing a space arms race.
"You must decide how to organise your treatment of these issues without holding any of them hostages to the others," he said.
Ban said disarmament would lead to reduced global tensions, allowing states to free up resources for development.
