The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is "a key barrier in the path of proliferation of nuclear armaments and their modernisation ... but the United States is not in a hurry to ratify it and now seems to be preparing to quit the accord,"the sources said.

"Washington has decided to upgrade the alert at the Nevada nuclear testing grounds for the possible resumption of tests. Appeals for testing small nuclear devices are mounting.

"This position casts a shadow on the very idea of the treaty and, consequently, does not promote confidence of other states in it, which could condemn the document to death," the sources added.

The United States has maintained a moratorium on nuclear tests since 1992, along with Britain, China, France and Russia.

Only India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons in 1998, signaling their entry into the "nuclear club."

However a US nuclear posture review published earlier this month suggests that the war against Afghanistan has highlighted the need to develop a new generation of bunker-busting weapons that could target groups like al-Qaeda hiding in deep underground caves.

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