U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday deeper global cooperation is "indispensable" to strengthening nuclear security, as he urged leaders to take steps towards ensuring a safer world. "My message to you now, today, is this: be the first mover. Do not wait for others to act. The challenge is one of leadership," Ban said at the opening session of the Nuclear Security Summit, hosted by the Netherlands government in The Hague. "Let us work towards a safer world for all, a world free of nuclear weapons and threat of nuclear terrorism." Calling nuclear security a "pressing concern," the secretary-general noted that the primary responsibility for preventing non-state actors and terrorists from acquiring the most devastating weapons known to humanity lies with national governments. "But international cooperation and assistance are indispensable," the U.N. chief said, adding that important challenges including strengthening nuclear-security implementation and building a culture of nuclear security.
