UNITED NATIONS, August 29. /TASS/. Russia is calling on certain countries including the US to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as soon as possible, Dmitry Glukhov, a member of the Russian permanent mission to the UN, said at a UN General Assembly meeting.

"We believe that the efforts of the international community, primarily the remaining 8 Annex 2 countries of the CTBT, should be focused on turning it into a functioning international legal instrument," he said at the meeting dedicated to the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. "This is an absolute priority for nuclear non-proliferation and arms control."

"We urge the leadership of the countries, on which the fate of the treaty depends, to show political will and responsibility by taking concrete decisions on its signing and ratification as soon as possible," Glukhov said.

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has been ratified by 178 states, including the UK, France and Russia, but it has not entered into force. In order for it to become effective, ratification is required by 44 countries that either possess nuclear weapons or have the potential to develop them (as listed in the annex that has been compiled based on IAEA data). Eight countries from this list still remain outside the CTBT: the DPRK, India and Pakistan have not signed the document, while the US, China, Egypt, Israel and Iran have signed but not ratified the treaty.