UN chief Ban Ki-moon called Wednesday for the US, China and other nuclear-armed states to end the "madness" of atomic testing by finally ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which turns 20 this year. 


"I call on remaining states, the eight remaining states, to sign and ratify the treaty without further delay," Ban said in Vienna at an event marking the anniversary. 


"Nuclear testing poisons water, causes cancers and pollutes the area with radioactive fallout for generations and generations to come," he said. 


"We are here to honor the victims to ban and to stop nuclear testing. First and foremost we should teach the world to end this madness. 


The CTBT, which opened for signature in September 1996, bans all nuclear explosions. 


It has been signed by 183 states and ratified by 164 including Russia, France and Britain, three of the nine countries which have or are thought to have nuclear weapons

Source: NNA