City ready for first baton in torch relay

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Kazakstan's biggest city Almaty, the starter to hail the Olympic flame internationally, has been in full swing towards the official lighting of the flame in ancient Olympia on Monday.

Still celebrating a traditional festival in holiday, staff concerning the torch relay in the municipal city all stay in their offices on extra shift recently and is making the last efforts on the preparative work of the torch relay.

Serik T. Seidumanov, vice mayor of the city, told Xinhua on Monday that the government is gearing up for the coming torch relay, which is scheduled to start the international leg on April 2.

"It will be the top honor for Almaty to welcome the Beijing 2008 Olympic flame as the first stop of the international segment," Seidumanov said.

"Now almost all the details have been carefully handled and our staff concerning have been in place. The last-minute preparation work will be underway in terms of technology and security. We do have a fully-packed agenda right now," added the mayor, who is responsible for the local torch relay.

The 2008 Olympic torch was lit on Monday in Ancient Olympia, marking the start of the domestic and international torch relay that will end on Aug. 8 with the Games' opening ceremony.

Beijing will welcome the flame on March 31 after it tours Greece in the next couple of days and then send it en route on April 1.

On April 2, 80 torch bearers will be involved in the relay of the central Asian city, stretching about 20 kilometers long. It will be the first time for the holy fire to tour Almaty which has a population of 1.5 million.

"The arrival of the Olympic flame can be seen as a sports extravaganza of the largest scale and most significance to Almaty and even Kazakstan, it will help increase the sports level of our country," the mayor said.

"We do appreciate the trust Beijing gives to us, and we believe the Beijing Olympics will be the most glamorous chapter in human sports history."