Chinese and foreign military athletes are comparing notes with each other, which is interrupted by accepting an interview with the reporters from the China Military Online.

Greek military athlete Lana is accepting an interview with reporters form the China Military Online.

Col. Meurs, secretary general of the International Military Sports Council (CISM), is having an interview with the reporters from the China Military Online.

Chinese and foreign military athletes are comparing notes with each other, which is interrupted by accepting an interview with the reporters from the China Military Online.

Greek military athlete Lana is accepting an interview with reporters form the China Military Online.

Col. Meurs, secretary general of the International Military Sports Council (CISM), is having an interview with the reporters from the China Military Online.

　　On the morning of August 18, the CISM held a party in the CISM Village at the PLA Military Sports Group, the reporters of the China Military Online went there to cover the event and had an interview with Col. Michel Van Meurs, secretary general of the CISM, who gladly accepted the interview and answered the questions raised by China Military Online netizens.

　　Secretary General Michel Van Meurs highly praised the Beijing Olympic Games and the CISM Village established by the Chinese military, and he said, "I have a beautiful time in China as well as at the CISM Village. I am glad that there are more than 1,000 athletes from the armed forces of various countries here to take part in the current Olympic Games. Through the ongoing Olympic Games, the people in the world have seen the rapid development in China."

　　At the end of the interview, Meurs presented T-shirts printed with "CISM" to China Military Online reporters on the spot.

　　At 11:00, Wang Pei, head of the CISM Village and the PLA Military Sports Delegation, declared the start of the party. Gianni Gola, president of the CISM, first made a speech, in which he spoke highly of the excellent performance of military athletes at the Beijing Olympics: "Up to yesterday, military athletes have won 15 gold medals in the Olympic Games!" Gola also thanked the Chinese military for setting up the CISM Village during the Beijing Olympic Games to provide an opportunity for the CISM family to have a get-together, emulate the Olympic Games and share the honors of all military athletes.

　　After the brief ceremony, the cocktail party commenced. The reporters first interviewed Lieutenant Lana, a Greek female athlete who had just spoken at the party on behalf of other athletes. She said that it was by no means easy to be qualified for the Olympic Games. She thanked the active role played by the CISM in helping servicemen to participate in the Olympic Games. She said, "I would like to express my thanks to the CISM for setting up the CISM Village during the Beijing Olympic Games to create a friendly atmosphere for CISM member states to carry out exchanges. I sincerely wish all military athletes would act in accordance with the tenet of the CISM--'sports spread friendship', and continue to achieve success at the Olympic Games."

　　Two weightlifters from Italian Armed Forces told the reporters in their awkward English that it was very exciting for them to be able to participate in the Olympic Games in Beijing, and it was beyond their expectation to attend the CISM party. A male athlete gesticulated hard, trying to tell reporters that he won the 14th place in the competition. "Although the result is not satisfactory, but I am very happy to have the chance to be with athletes from all over the world."

　　(Aug19, PLA Daily)                                                   Editor: Dong Zhaohui