Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond won't be using the
Commonwealth Games as a political tool in his push for the
country's independence.  Salmond said he had taken a "self-
denying ordinance" not to speak about politics during the
Glasgow Games, which start on Wednesday.  "I think that's what
the people of Scotland want," Salmond said at a Games press
conference on Tuesday.  Some suggest a successful hosting of the
Games and success for Scottish athletes could strengthen the bid
for independence ahead of the September 18 referendum.  But
Salmond said he was seeing Glasgow's hosting of the event purely
as a celebration of sport and culture and a chance to showcase
Scotland to the world.  "We're taking about a process that has
been going on for a century and it's being conducted in the best
possible manner," Salmond said of the independence debate.  "So
we are well able to say 'look, we've got 10 days here, we're
going to concentrate on presenting Scotland to the world'.  "We
have plenty of time when the Games