Peres says it all with poems

Israeli President Shimon Peres shares his poems for Beijing Olympics with our reporter Li Xiaokun

One of the poems penned by 85-year-old Peres wishing for peace and harmony at the Beijing Olympics:

Birds of all feathers/ come and sing together/ escape frozen orders/ and fly above the borders/ dismantle the old scheme/ take off with the great dream/ dream of harmony and glory/ for all alike, black and white/ poor and rich of equal right/ run and leap, hit and throw/ dance and swim and row/ you are all the best/ from east to west/ win, don't kill and if you lose don't hate/ hope exists both now and late/ bring home an olive branch/ your newly born have a chance/ to be free and strong, at their nest/ in Beijing we learn what is best

Q: You have watched the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games at the scene. How did you find it?

A: The opening ceremony was brilliant and majestic, as in the magic world. It is the greatest event in our history. Not only was it a brilliant performance, but also a story of globalization.

The idea of the scroll to display the history of China was very surprising and beautiful. Dancers of younger and older children are unbelievable, so are the songs. And the greatest thing was the combination of chorus, of light, of warmth. Despite the (hot) weather, no people left the stadium. The calligraphy, the songs, the dances, came from the depth of China's culture of 5,000 years.

Here I want to express my admiration for Zhang Yimou (director-in-chief of the opening ceremony). It was a marvelous job, really, it was not simple. It's 25,000 people on the stage and nobody made a mistake.

(As for the opening ceremony site) it wasn't the "nest of bird", but the "nest of wonders". I think the Bird's Nest is a symbol, because birds are singing, and birds are flying. So from the point of architectural message, the Bird's Nest is a unique declaration.

This Olympiad has showed that the world, as in the songs, is not divided into West and East, North and South, it is one world. And China has showed every country can do what it wants to do, and do it maybe better. This is also a great hope for people who believe in the future.

I want to express thanks to the Chinese authorities, in the name of our country and our people, for the very friendly arrangement, and to the Chinese people, for doing something really great. And for me, to witness the greatness is a great experience.

I wrote two poems for the Beijing Olympics and I would like to share with you. (see the poem above)

Q: Your Beijing tour was nearly cancelled as the August 8 Opening ceremony falls on the Sabbath (the Jewish Sabbath lasts from every Friday evening to Saturday evening when travel by any form of transport is forbidden). The Chinese government later made rearrangement and accommodated you at the hotel right outside the Bird's Nest. Did it solve your problem?

A: Yes. Thank China. They arranged a hotel for me, which is very close to the Olympics. I just need to walk less than 1 km.

Q: What's your expectation of the Israeli delegation at the Beijing Games?

A: I have no expectation of how many gold medals they will win. I'm sure the Israeli delegation will do their very best. They don't know how many medals they will win, but they will be happy the way they behave.

You go to the Olympics not just to win, but also to demonstrate a culture of relations. I wish that politics will be like sports, and not that sports will be like politics.

Q: You did not watch any game this time due to the tight schedule. But if given a chance, what games would you like to watch?

A: When I was young, I used to swim, play basketball, and do gymnastics. But now I live in the Jew's land that has no sea so I cannot swim, I'm now in politics so I cannot play basketball, so gymnastics (laughter).

Q: It has been 10 years since your last visit to Beijing, what impression has the city left on you this time?

A: We went to the Olympiad (village) on Thursday (August 7). We went through the streets and I could not recognize Beijing. I thought I was in a different city. In the streets, I saw a great show of unique architecture, including the stadium (the National Stadium), the swimming pool (the National Swimming Center), the egg (the National Grand Theater), many other new buildings in your eyes, hundreds of thousands of people, as well as many foreigners. The new China, however, has kept its culture. It's old yet modern.

And what impressed me most on my way were the smiling faces of the people. Government can give orders to the people, but they cannot force the people to smile, as it is what the people themselves feel that gives them reasons to smile.

Q: You once said that China doesn't conquer the world; it conquers the world's heart. Could you further explain it so we can better understand?

A: Yes. It's about China's foreign policy. We can see from several occasions, including the return of Hong Kong, Macau, and the denuclearization of North Korea (The Democratic People's Republic of Korea) that all these were done by negotiation, by agreement, not by force.

Q: You have been the honorary president of the Council for the Promotion of Israel-China Relations ever since it was founded in 1996, despite your tight schedule. Why have you put so much importance to the relations with China?

A: Let me tell you an old story. When I was a young man, I used to be the deputy minister of foreign affairs, and the minister was the founder of our country, David Ben-Gurion, he was also the prime minister at that time. In 1956, 52 years ago, he sent me a letter, in the letter there was one message: Please look forward and we have to believe that China is going to be a great nation. Remember it was 52 years ago and we believed very much the greatness of China.

So no matter working as minister of foreign affairs or president, I never gave up the position as president of the Council for the Promotion of Israel-China Relations. Our good relations with China are not something by accident. Part of our good will to China is due to China's assistance to the Jews during World War II, but the main reason is China is a great nation, for the future. I think with the great China, the world will be more balanced.

Q: Quartet Middle East Envoy Tony Blair said last month in Brussels that the Israel-Palestine conflict is likely to be settled within this year. What's your opinion?

A: I would like to share the views but it's very hard to put dates by one point.

(China Daily 08/14/2008 page11)