UN General Assembly head urges peace during Beijing Olympics

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The president of the General Assembly is appealing to the U.N.’s 193 member nations to take “concrete actions” to promote peace during next month’s Winter Olympics in Beijing. Abdulla Shahid also called on all warring parties in conflicts around the world “to boldly agree to true mutual cease-fires” during the Olympic Truce before, during and after the Olympics. The assembly took note of Shahid’s “solemn appeal” on Thursday with a bang of his gavel. On Dec. 2, the assembly adopted a resolution urging member states “to observe the Olympic Truce” for the Olympics in February and Paralympics in March.