The US ambassador to the United Nations said Monday that North Korea would erupt in cheers if the UN adopts a treaty banning nuclear weapons because the communist nation wouldn't be complying with such a ban while others do.

Amb. Nikki Haley made the remark as she voiced opposition to a proposed nuclear weapons ban treaty as dozens of countries kick off a UN conference to discuss the issue.

"Suddenly the General Assembly wants to have a hearing to ban nuclear weapons. As a mom, as a daughter, there is nothing I want more for my family than a world with no nuclear weapons, but we have to be realistic," said Haley, flanked by envoys from like-minded nations, including Britain, France and South Korea.

"Is there anyone that believes that North Korea would agree to a ban on nuclear weapons? So what you would see is the General Assembly would go through in good faith trying to do something, but North Korea would be the one cheering, and all of us and the people that we represent would be the ones at risk," she said.

The United States believes in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and has reduced its nuclear arsenal by 85 percent since the NPT went into effect, Haley said.

"In this day and time, we can't honestly say that we can protect our people by allowing the bad actors to have them and those of us that are good trying to keep peace and safety not to have them," she said. (Yonhap)