UN chief says peace remains elusive over past year

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Tuesday that conflicts deepened and peace remained elusive over the past year.

"I took office last year calling for us to make 2017 a year for peace. One year later, we must recognize that peace remains elusive," Guterres told an informal meeting at which he presented his priorities for 2018. "In fundamental ways, the world has gone in reverse."

"Conflicts have deepened and new dangers have emerged; global anxieties about nuclear weapons are the highest since the Cold War; climate change is moving faster; inequalities are growing," he said, adding that "horrific violations of human rights. nationalism, racism and xenophobia are on the rise."

Those indicate that the world needs greater unity and courage -- unity and courage to meet today's most urgent needs, to ease the fears of the people and set the world on track toward a better future, he said. Enditem