(VOVworld) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that a new development agenda "must be universal with ending poverty as its top priority." While speaking at the opening of the General Debate of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Ban urged member states to end Syrian conflict, the "biggest challenge to peace and security in the world", by halting arms shipments and bringing the parties to the negotiating table. He asked the UN Security Council to adopt an "enforceable" resolution following a US-Russian agreement to put Syria's chemical weapons under international control.

At the event, US President Barack Obama said Iran has acted to resolve its nuclear issues which have stressed bilateral relations for years. He added that recent diplomatic moves by Iranian President Hasan Rouhani are appreciated but “words now have to be matched by actions”.

US President Barack Obama addresses the 68th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, September 24, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

Turning to the Syrian conflict, Obama warned that “there must be consequences” if Bashar al-Assad’s regime fails to keep its commitment to giving up chemical weapons. Obama promised to heal Israelis and Palestines, saying it’s now high time for the international community to support the peace between them. He said the US is ready to use all its capabilities, even military force, to protect US interests in the Middle East, which is of strategic importance to the US.