Olympics 2008

Indonesia's sports committee: Olympic torch relay can not be used for political propaganda
www.chinaview.cn 2008/04/11 21:05:25 Print

Special Report: Olympics 2008

JAKARTA, April 11 (Xinhua) - Indonesian National Sports Committee Chairman Rita Subowo said on Friday that the international Olympic torch relay can not be used to disseminate political propaganda, as against the previous Olympic charter.

The Chairman said that the torch will pass on 22 April, will stick to the rules.

Many activists in several countries that currently have been used to convey messages from their opposition against China in the last riots in Tibet.

"In Article 51 of the Olympic charter explicitly that all propaganda, including political, are not allowed," she said to Xinhua in an interview in his office here.

"We stick to that," said Subowo.

Separately here, Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla to a press conference Friday that the problem of Tibet is China's domestic affairs.

The Vice President said that Indonesia will use the Olympic torch relay when the good.

Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia Kristianto Legowo said that Indonesia supports the Chinese government to enforce law and order in Tibet in a bid to a normal situation.

Separately, Chairman of the committee for the Olympic Games for rchrelay in Indonesia Hadisumao Marsis convey concerns about protests during the torch relay in some countries, could disrupt the activities of sports. "Please do not disturb the sport relay in Jakarta," he told Xinhua.

Jakarta Police spokesman Ketut Yoga Ana, in an interview with Xinhua that there has been no indication of protests during the torch relay.

The spokesman said the security of the torch relay will involve more than 1,500 police and hundreds of security officers along the route that will take the torch, and hundreds of athletes.