UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan gave the thumbs-up to the design and construction of the Beijing Olympic venues when he toured the National Stadium in the company of Liu Qi, president of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) on Tuesday morning.

The design of the National Stadium, dubbed the Bird's Nest, is very creative, the UN chief said of what he saw at the site of the project. The stadium is an incredible symbolism of the global Games and on August 8, 2008 when the 29th Olympic Games is opened, it will "hold the whole world together," he added.

Referring to the fact that BOCOG's Olympic preparations are moving forward steadily and on schedule, Annan said: "I have no doubt that the 2008 Games will be one of the best Games and I hope I will be here."

(BOCOG May 24, 2006)