New York, Sept. 27 -- Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono on Friday called for urgent global action to eliminate nuclear weapons, warning they remain one of the greatest threats to humanity.

Speaking at a high-level UN meeting marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Sugiono criticized the continued possession of over 12,000 nuclear warheads by a handful of states, including some outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"Indonesia urges nuclear-armed states to halt modernization and expansion, take concrete steps toward disarmament, and demonstrate political will for a world free of nuclear weapons," Sugiono said.

He also pushed for stronger disarmament mechanisms and called on all nations ...