Noppadon also showed the confidence that Thailand will successfully hold the Olympic torch relay in its capital Bangkok on April 19.

Peruvian President Alan Garcia has condemned some international forces for trying to use the Tibet and Taiwan issues to disrupt the Beijing Olympics and defame China's image.

In a signed article on Peru's leading newspaper El Comercio, Garcia reiterated that his government would unswervingly support the Chinese government on these issues and believed that China is capable of facing these challenges.

Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Sultan Ahmad Baheen said Thursday that the Olympics is an opportunity for peace and reconciliation.

Afghanistan opposes any attempts by individuals and organizations to use the Games as a tool for political appeals, Baheen added.

Lativian Parliament member Ivan Klementev said the Olympics is not held for politicians and government officials, but a festival for the athletes who have made preparations for four years.

The attempts by some politicians to politicize the Games and to boycott the event will never bring any positive results and can only sabotage the atmosphere of the great sports festival of the whole mankind, Klementev said.

Other political figures who have voiced support for the Beijing Olympics and opposition to attempts to disrupt the Olympics torch relay include Shane Stone, former leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, Mike Moore, New Zealand's former prime minister and former director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mohamed El Saket, former ambassador of the Arab League to China and Francesco Cossiga, former president of Italy.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2008)