London 'blown away' by Beijing Olympics: Boris

Mr. Boris is impressed very much with Beijing Olympics so I'm. This olympics will be remember for many years to come.
AFP: London 'blown away' by Beijing Olympics: Boris

Speaking in Beijing, where the Olympic flag will be formally passed to him at Sunday's closing ceremony, Johnson said the huge spectacle of this year's event was an inspiration to London organisers.

"I think I speak for millions of people in the UK, when I say we have been dazzled, we have impressed, we have been blown away by these Beijing Games but we have not been intimidated," he told reporters.

"And in our own sweet way, without wasting taxpayers money, I am absolutely convinced that we can do just as well in 2012."

Johnson said Britain's medal successes over the past three weeks -- their best performance for 100 years -- had provided the London Games with a real boost.

"The Games are changing the public perception of the Olympics ... Olympo-sceptics are being rapidly converted," he said, insisting that the Games would stay within its 9.3 billion pound budget.

Johnson said he had not raised the issue of human rights when he had met with Beijing officials. China has faced international criticism on issues ranging from its jailing of dissidents to its censorship of the Internet.

"I think millions of people in Britain and in London are deeply concerned obviously about human rights in China," he said.

"But I feel very strongly that these Games offer a fantastic opportunity for China to open up to the rest of the world ... and for China to understand how the rest of the world thinks about China."