The upcoming Beijing Olympic torch relay will be held successfully in the Turkish largest city of Istanbul, a high-ranking Turkish official said on Tuesday.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Istanbul, 58-year-old Yalcin Aksoy, the official of the Turkish Olympic Committee (TMOK) who is in charge of the Istanbul torch relay, said that the Turkish authorities embarked on the event eight months ago with 14 departments of the city involved.
Aksoy, who is the general director of the Preparation and Organization Council for the Istanbul Olympic Games, said that "the torch relay of Athens Olympic Games was also made smoothly in Istanbul. Therefore, we are very experienced in the torch relay process. I don't think there will be any problem."
"The Beijing Olympic torch relay should be made as planned in Istanbul without any intrusion or any incident," Aksoy pointed out.
Aksoy appreciated Beijing's efforts for the torch relay route which covers the ancient Silk Road, saying "we are very proud that China has chosen Istanbul as one of the legs for the torch relay and I hope that China will host the best Olympic Games ever." Aksoy also downplayed some Western politicians' attempt to boycott Beijing Olympics, saying that "sports and politics are totally different things, and the true Olympic idea is to bring the youth together from every where around the world, and to establish friendship, respect and mutual cooperation."
"They know nothing of Olympic values," he stressed.
Aksoy said that he had decided to go to China this summer to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games along with more than 70 Turkish sportsmen, hoping that they will gain more medals in the games.
"Good Luck Beijing!" said he in Chinese at the end of the interview.
Istanbul, the only city in the world located on two continents -- Asia and Europe, will hold the 17.8-km relay on April 3 after the first leg of the 21-city global torch relay in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty on April 2.
(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2008)