Olympic torch to travel to northern Cyprus
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-07-06 09:57

The Olympic flame will also burn in the Turkish-controlled north of Cyprus, during its stop on the island on July 8, last leg of its journey before returning to Greece.

The Cyprus Olympic Committee and the Organizing Committee of the Athens 2004 Games announced on Monday that "within the spirit of the Olympic Relay 'Our Flame unites the world' it has been decided that the Cyprus route of the Flame to cover the occupied part of the island with a restricted number of torch bearers".

According to a press release the organizers in their meeting with the authorities in the north were to ask that the same conditions which were applied throughout the torch's journey, including the free and without formalities crossing of the relay members through the check points on the Green line, be applied in the case of the Torch relay in the northern part of the island.

The Olympic Torch Relay will begin in Paphos on 8 July in the morning and will follow a route covering literally all the government controlled areas of Cyprus, through many communities and past many of the island's great landmarks and locations, before arriving at its final destination in the center of Nicosia.

The first day in Nicosia will end with a major public celebration, free for all, in the old town of the divided capital, which will include the lighting of a cauldron by the final torchbearer Anninos Markoullides.

The ceremony will be followed by a concert of Cypriot composer Marios Tokas, who will be accompanied by well-known Greek singers and choirs from all over Cyprus.

On July 9 the Olympic Torch will continue its journey through Paralimni, in Famagusta district, on the east of the island.

The journey ends at Larnaca airport where the Olympic Flame will depart for Crete, first stop of the Greek relay.

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