The Ambassador of Nepal to China Tanka Prasad Karki Thursday expressed congratulations to China on the successful ascent of Beijing Olympics torch at the summit of Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest mountain which spans Nepal and southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

"I express my sincere congratulations to the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games, and through it to the Government of the People's Republic of China and its people," Karki said in a statement at the Embassy, representing the government of Nepal.

He said the ascent of the Olympic flame to the pinnacle of the world is in itself a landmark achievement in the history of Olympics, and it also stands as a courageous achievement for the torch-bearers, a matter of common pride and happy moment for China and the Chinese people and humanity at large towards achieving the common aspiration of "One World, One Dream", the theme slogan of the Beijing Olympic Games.

He said Nepal has put its full support and arrangements for a successful journey of the Olympic Torch at the summit of Mount Qomolangma.

According to the Embassy, a count-down event was held in Nepal's capital to celebrate the torch relay, drawing thousands of people.

The Nepalese ambassador said Nepal, as an immediate neighbor and close friend of China, from the very beginning of the preparation of the Beijing Olympic Games, has been extending its support and expressing good wishes for the success of the Games.

He also reiterated the stand of the government of Nepal that the Olympic Games and politics should not be mixed up in any pretext and that only in this way can the dignity and sanctity of the Games be preserved.

The Olympic flame made its first trip to Mount Qomolangma as Chinese mountaineers brought it to the top of the world at 9:12 a.m. Beijing time (0112 GMT) on Thursday, the whole trip live televised by the CCTV.

The torch was lit at about one hundred meters away from the summit and then relayed upwards by five torchbearers.

The torch stayed alight and bright against strong winds, as all the torch, lighter and lantern used for the Qomolangma expedition are high-tech items capable of withstanding gale-force winds, low temperatures and the oxygen-thin air atop Mt. Qomolangma.

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2008)