TheplanecarryingtheBeijingOlympicsflamelandedinCanberraWednesdaymorningforThursday'storchrelaythroughtheheartofthecity.

　　AirChinaAirbusA330toucheddownatFairbairnAirportabout7.50a.m.(AEST)fromJakarta.

　　AustralianCapitalTerritory(ACT)ChiefMinisterJonStanhope,SportsMinisterKateEllis,PresidentoftheAustralianOlympicCommitteeJohnCoatesandChineseambassadorZhangJunsaiwereattheairporttomeetthesacredflame.

　　TheAirbusistheofficialOlympicplanewhichhasbeentravelingtheworldwiththeflameduringthetorchrelay.

　　TheflamelanternwascarriedofftheplanebyJiangXiaoyu,VicePresidentofBeijingOrganizingCommitteeofOlympicGamesandChineseambassadorZhangJunsai.

　　IndigenouselderAgnesSheaoftheNgunnawalpeoplepresentedthemessagesticktotheChineseofficials.

　　"IwelcometheOlympictorchtoAustraliainthespiritofpeaceonbehalfofmypeople,whosehistoryofthisplacesgoesbacktothebeginningoftime,"MsSheasaid.

　　"ThewordscontainedwithinourmessagesticktodayareaboutwelcomingourvisitorstoourcountryandofthegreatpeaceandgoodfortunefortheBeijingOlympictorchrelay,"MsSheacontinued.

　　"InthiswaythetorchisthemessagestickoftheOlympicmovement.WewantthestoryofthetorchwhileitisCanberratobeoneofpeaceandunderstanding.

　　"Thetorchisafterallpromotingajourneyofharmony,mayitsstayherebeonethatsymbolizesgoodwillforallmankind."

　　ACTChiefMinisterStanhopesaidthenext48hourswereanopportunitytoaddresseachotherasfriendsdo,withrespectandhonesty.

　　"AnopportunitytoshowcasethesplendorofthiscapitalcityofwhichweCanberransaresoproud,"hesaid.

　　"Inarobustandmaturedemocracysuchasoursthereisnoparticulardangerinmixedmessages."

　　AustralianOlympicCommittee(AOC)presidentJohnCoatessaidtheinternationaljourneyoftheflamewasthemostambitiousandlongestrouteeverplannedforanOlympictorchrelay.

　　CoatessaidbothAustraliangames-Melbourne1956andSydney2000-werenotedfortheirefficientorganization,thequalityofcompetitionandthesenseofpervadingfriendliness.

　　"Injust107days,aftertheflamehascompleteditsawesomejourneyhavingcoveredanimpressive137,000kilometers,wewillseeitburningattheopeningceremonyoftheBeijingOlympicGames.

　　"Australiawillbeproudlyrepresentedbyateamof440athletesreadytowritethenextchapterinAustralia'srichOlympichistory.Ican'twait."

　　SportsMinisterEllissaiditwasherspecialdutytowelcomethetorchandtheChineseguestsonbehalfoftheAustraliangovernment.

　　"AustraliahasalongtraditionnotjustofparticipationintheOlympicGamesbutalsoagreatrecordofsuccess,"shesaid.

　　"TheOlympicspiritisagoodonethatIhopeburnsbrightlybothtodayandtomorrowbutofcourseintheGamesinBeijinglaterthisyear."

　　JiangXiaoyuthankedtheAustralianhostsandsaidAustraliahasheldOlympicGamesandunderstandthespiritsoftheOlympicGames.