Argentine Buenos Aires government's sports undersecretary Francisco Irarrazabal said on Friday that the Olympic Fire's passing through Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, "will be the biggest event" of this sort "in the forthcoming two to three years."

Irarrazabal said "we started organizing it seven months ago and everything is ready" for Friday April 11 when the Olympic Flame relay will be carried out with Argentine athletes.

Irarrazabal said in a speech at Buenos Aires' Legislature, where the Olympic Flame was presented, that the event will be transmitted through television to some "1.300 billion people worldwide."

"It is a historic opportunity to unite peoples, nations and ethnic groups," said Irarrazabal.

(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2008)