http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/articles/2004/06/01/1089694344511.html

Australia, Greece bury the hatchet
June 2, 2004 - 4:05PM
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Australia and Greece have resurrected the torch and buried the hatchet.

Tensions between the two countries have been set aside as the previous and current Olympic hosts prepared for an unprecedented global journey by the Olympic torch.

Yes, we\'ve had our differences, admitted Australian Olympic Committee secretary-general Bob Elphinston, but it\'s all part of the exercise.

Mr Elphinston said the Olympic torch relay had not been an easy exercise to organise but nor was the 2000 Games.

I think the arrival of the torch in Sydney on Friday will do the same (as it did then), he said.

It will be worth all the effort, all the blood, sweat and tears.

It has brought us all together.

An Athens 2004 spokeswoman also indicated the two countries had overcome strained relations caused by Greece\'s attempts to bolster its own security for the torch relay inside Australia, and by Australia\'s upgrading of travel warnings following last month\'s bombing of an Athens police station.
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It is difficult, I will acknowledge, said Kristin Fabos, ATHOC\'s advance press chief.

But I believe we have got a successful relay on our hands, she said of what is expected to be the torch\'s one and only worldwide relay.

The five-week international sector starts in Sydney before heading to Melbourne on Saturday.

The torch will visit 34 cities, including every summer Olympics host, in 27 countries on five continents before returning to Greece for this year\'s Olympics in August.

Post-September 11 security worries have forced the IOC to shelve any idea of repeating such a relay.

But this appeared to be news to ATHOC, whose spokeswoman said: We would like to see this worldwide torch relay continue for years to come.

Ms Fabos said ATHOC had not encountered any issues in any other of the torch relay countries.