BEIJING -- The Beijing Olympic flame relay will surely promote the Olympic movement around the world, said Hellenic Olympic Committee president Minoa Kiryakou on Monday.

Kiryakou boarded the Beijing-bound plane which carried the Olympic flame after the handover ceremony at the Panathenian Stadium and he is to attend the welcome ceremony in Tian'anmen Square on Monday.

The flame arrived in Beijing Monday morning, to start the month-long Olympic flame's "Journey of Harmony" throughout the world.

"The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens is the first time to carry the Olympic flame throughout the world. The Beijing Olympic torch relay will again bring the flame in five continents, spreading the Olympic spirit of peace, mutual respect, inspiration and cooperation among all nationalities," said Kiryakou on the plane of "Sacred Flame", which is going to carry the flame in the coming months.

"The Beijing Olympic flame journey will for sure promote world peace, Olympic ideal and Olympic movement. The Beijing Games will leave great legacy for the world and the flame relay is an important part of that."

To Kiryakou, the success of flame travel in Greece is partly attributed to Greek people's favor for the Chinese people.

"China and Greece share a lot in common. They both boast great history and ancient civilization, so the Greek can feel what the Chinese feel," said Kiryakou.

IOC President Jacque Rogge called Kiryakou after the handover ceremony, congratulating on the success of relay in Greece leg and saying he is expecting to see the flame in Paris.

The Beijing Olympic torch relay includes three parts - the relay outside the Chinese mainland, the one in the Chinese mainland and Mt. Qomolangma expedition.

The Olympic flame will visit 21 cities outside the Chinese mainland and travel across 113 cities and regions in China before it returns to Beijing on August 6 to start the three-day relay in the Chinese capital.