DHAKA: United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki Moon on Tuesday called on states to stop sending weapons to the Syria conflict as the United States and Russia wrangled over destroying Syria’s chemical weapons.

‘I appeal to all states to stop fuelling the bloodshed and to end the arms flows to all parties,’ Ban said as he opened the annual UN General Assembly, reports The Straits Times.

Russia is the key arms provider to president Bashar al-Assad while Syria accuses Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf states of arming opposition rebels.

The UN chief also called on Assad and the rebels, and ‘all those in this hall with influence over them’, to press for a peace conference to end the war that has left more than 100,000 dead.

BDST: 2038 HRS, SEPT 24, 2013
RoR/RK