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Bush rejects idea of military cease-fire during Salt Lake Winter Olympics
      Tue Nov 27 2001 10:26 PM


WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush on Tuesday turned aside the International Olympic Committee's request for a military truce during the Winter Olympics next year. He will propose a U.N. resolution calling for athletes to travel safely to and from the games.

After a meeting, IOC president Jacques Rogge said Bush assured him he would submit the resolution, a tradition for Olympic host nations, to the United Nations on Dec. 11. It will advocate safe passage of Olympic athletes, and call for nations to compete peacefully, Rogge said.

"We did not go into specific issues. He just assured me of the support of the government for the resolution," Rogge said.

"The word `truce' doesn't enter into it," said national security spokesman Sean McCormack. The resolution seeks safe transport of participating athletes in keeping with U.N. resolutions submitted by Olympic host countries since 1993, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

The notion of an Olympic truce began in ancient Greece, when warring parties suspended their conflicts during the games. Secretary of State Colin Powell said this month that the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan would continue during the games.

The U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution calling for a global cease-fire during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Earlier this month, Rogge asked the Bush administration for a truce -- which he defined as a cease-fire -- during the Salt Lake City games, to be held Feb. 8-24.

Tuesday, Rogge said the idea of a truce was not tied to the situation in Afghanistan, or any other region or country. "It's a world concept," he said.

Afghanistan is the only nation barred from participating in the Winter Games. The country was suspended two years ago after the ruling Taliban would not allow female athletes to compete.

"We would love to see an Afghan team at the next Olympic Games, but that will only be possible when there is a stable government in place, and when all the conditions that are put by the (IOC) are fulfilled," Rogge said.

Bush also met Tuesday with U.S. Olympic Committee president Sandy Baldwin, CEO Lloyd Ward, Salt Lake Olympics chief Mitt Romney and a few Olympic athletes, to discuss security for the upcoming games.

Ward said Bush did not go into specifics about security for the games. The federal government will contribute $240 million of the more than $300 million for security.

"There's no question after (Sept. 11), our view of security in the United States and, I would suggest, in the world is different," Ward said. "We have taken every effort to provide a secure, competitive environment for all participants and spectators and sponsors, and we feel we have a very solid plan."

The group presented Bush a blue blazer with the USOC crest on it, and made him honorary president of the games, Baldwin said.

Bush has been invited to the Feb. 8 opening ceremony.



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