MOSCOW, November 8 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian president said Wednesday the potential for conflict in the world is growing, while the threat and use of force is being played up in international relations.

Vladimir Putin was speaking at a meeting with veterans of the Russian military intelligence service at the new headquarters of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU).

"It is important to effectively forecast the evolution of the military-political situation and to closely follow current trends in technological and economic competition," he said.

He said a growing threat is posed by what he termed destabilizing weapons - low-yield nuclear warheads and strategic missiles armed with conventional warheads, adding that possible sources of WMD proliferation are located in close proximity to Russia's borders.

He accused a number of world powers of seeking to undermine international stability, referring specifically to unlawful unilateral actions that ignore the legitimate interests of other countries.

Putin said these powers, far from abandoning military arsenals that exceed their legitimate defense needs, are constantly modernizing and upgrading them, including with offensive weapons.

He warned of the danger of weapons of mass destruction falling into terrorist hands, adding it is critical to reliably close off channels of support to terrorist organizations in the North Caucasus.

Putin urged the Main Intelligence Directorate to step up its efforts to avert threats to Russian security, adding that the GRU is a unique and effective instrument for protecting Russia's national interests.