There are only 10 days to go before the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, and the President of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly have called on nations and regions embroiled in conflict to respect a truce during the Games.

Ban Ki-Moon's spokesperson says the Secretary-General has recorded a video statement encouraging nations and regions of the world to cease any hostilities during the Olympics. The President of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly, Srgjan Kerim, has also issued a similar message, urging members of the General Assembly to respect the Olympic Truce Resolution passed last year.

The resolution was introduced by China on behalf of the International Olympic Committee and supported by the 182 member-states of the Assembly. Following the ancient Greek tradition of a sacred truce, the IOC designed the "Olympic Truce" as a way to promote peaceful and diplomatic solutions during and beyond the Olympics.

(CCTV July 30, 2008)