United Nations, Aug 30 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that a nuclear test ban is a fundamental step toward a world free of nuclear weapons.

"A legally binding prohibition on nuclear tests is a fundamental step in our quest for a world free of nuclear weapons. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), though not yet in force, remains a powerful testament to humanity's will to lift the shadow of nuclear annihilation from our world, once and for all," he said in a message on the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, which falls on August 29.

"In the name of all victims of nuclear testing, I call on all countries that have not yet ratified the treaty to do so immediately, without conditions. Let's end nuclear testing forever," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Since 1945, more than 2,000 nuclear tests have inflicted terrifying suffering on people, poisoned the air, and ravaged landscapes around the world. On the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, the world speaks with one voice to end this destructive legacy, he said.

"This year, we face an alarming rise in global mistrust and division. At a time in which nearly 13,000 nuclear weapons are stockpiled around the world, and countries are working to improve their accuracy, reach and destructive power, this is a recipe for annihilation," warned Guterres.

The CTBT was adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 1996. But it has not entered into force.