Noted Togolese historian Atsutse Agbobli on Thursday condemned recent calls for boycotting the Beijing Olympics and warned against any move to politicize the games.

"I think westerners are poorly placed to push for a boycott of the Olympics," he told Xinhua.

"It is imperative that the Olympic flame remains a symbol of rapprochement between peoples," he said.

Agbobli said he does not understand why Western politicians have taken to meddling in China's internal affairs under the guise of defending the Tibetans.

"Any responsible government should, when violence reaches a certain degree, take appropriate action," Agbobli said, referring to the recent riots that erupted in the Chinese autonomous region of Tibet.

The renowned Togolese scholar expressed the hope that China will organize a successful Olympic Games, which will bring together people from around the world.