Russian lawmakers against politicizing Beijing Olympics
9/4/2008 18:04
Members of the Russian State Duma, the lower house of parliament,
yesterday strongly denounced attempts to disrupt the Olympic torch relay and
boycott the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, Itar-Tass news agency
reported.
"The Olympic event should be held by all means and it is unpleasant
when it is marred by such developments," Speaker of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov
said when answering a question about violent protests aimed at disrupting the
torch relay in Paris Monday.
Attempts to boycott Olympics greatly harm
sports, Gryzlov said.
The view was echoed by Leonid Slutsky, first deputy
chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the lower house, who believed
that the Olympic events should not give rise to speculation in political
disputes.
In particular, Slutsky harshly criticized the call made by US
presidential candidate Hilary Clinton on President George W. Bush to boycott the
Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.
"It is a pure pre-election publicity
stunt," Slutsky said.
Xinhua
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