(VOVworld) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a halt of all armed conflicts in the world during the 2014 Olympic in Sochi, Russia. In a speech on Thursday to the International Olympic Committee one day before the opening of the games, Ban said that the continuation of armed conflicts around the world was a tragedy. On the same day, Russia urged warring parties around the world to lay down their arms during the Olympics.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the signing of ceasefires among warring parties in the world was aimed at opening up the possibilities for ending bloodshed and sufferings, while starting a political process to solve all crises based on the UN Charter’s principles.