2012 SUMMER GAMES Strikes don't hurt Paris' Olympic bid

Olympic inspectors were impressed with their four-day visit.
PARIS (AP) -- Having gazed at the Eiffel Tower and dined at the presidential palace, Olympic inspectors ended their tour of this city Saturday with a more modest day of sightseeing -- a Metro subway ride and a trip to the suburbs.
Massive labor strikes earlier threatened to complicate the four-day visit, but the disruption did nothing to diminish Paris' front-runner status to host the 2012 Summer Games. Paris presented a united front, with the public, sports celebrities, government ministers and even union members showing they fully back the bid.
"I'd like to point out the quality of the Paris dossier," said Nawal el Moutawakel, chairwoman of International Olympic Committee's evaluation panel. "I can tell you our visit was very, very productive."
The IOC will select the winner July 6 in Singapore. The IOC already had been to Madrid, London and New York, with Moscow the final stop next week.
"Today, there are five very, very serious competitors of great quality that are facing off," el Moutawakel said. "But at the end of the race, there will be only one winner."
Strikes
The IOC group assessed public transit Saturday during the suburban trip. Two days earlier, a strike by public sector workers embarrassed Paris officials, shutting down the city's Metro system. Mayor Bertrand Delanoe worked with the unions to ensure protests did not interfere with the IOC tour.
"It's part of democracy in France," el Moutawakel said.
She gave assurances the strikes "did not affect the conduct of our work and our visits." She added, however, the matter has not been forgotten.
"It is an aspect that we are going to again discuss," she said. "But we still sensed a partnership between the bid committee and the labor movement."
El Moutawakel traveled to Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines where a proposed cycling track would go up. Other panel members went to Vaires-sur-Marne, which would host sailing and canoeing, and Colombes, where baseball would be played.
Positives, negatives
French authorities have touted infrastructure, terrorism prevention and landmark sites such as the Eiffel Tower in promoting the bid. President Jacques Chirac welcomed the IOC to his ornate palace Friday, saying the French are ready to host the games.
There was a minor protest Saturday by environmentalists over plans to build a 15,000-seat arena for judo and badminton in the lush Bois de Boulogne park on Paris' western edge. About 2.3 acres of wooded area would be destroyed. After the games, the dome would become an extension of the Roland Garros tennis complex.
The IOC representatives visited the site Thursday, and four IOC representatives met with protesters Friday. Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin made a presentation of Paris' ability to secure the city -- with 41,000 police officers, armed police and soldiers, as well as 5,700 fire and rescue workers.
Paris says it can combat terrorism because of its previous experience. It was targeted by Algerian terrorists in the mid-1990s. Paris Police Chief Pierre Mutz gave further assurances Saturday, saying a new "Olympic law" for increased security would be proposed to French parliament if Paris gets the games.
Mutz also said Paris would receive support from police forces around the country to "control security threats" and a thorough "surveillance program" would monitor the potential terror threat.
Paris, Olympic host in 1900 and 1924, is making its third bid in 20 years after failed attempts for the 1992 and 2008 games.