Nations eager for Olympic torch relay despite Tibet unrest

The flame is "not a political symbol, it's an Olympic symbol," said Jean-Paul Clemencon, chief of staff of the French Olympic Committee. "Today everything is in place to welcome the Olympic flame."

His sentiments were echoed Thursday by sports officials from European and Asian nations along the Olympic torch route.

One Australian opposition leader even suggested that the torch's arrival would be an opportunity for peaceful protests against China.

The torch is to be lit Monday at a traditional ceremony in Ancient Olympia, Greece, before being carried through 20 countries on its way to opening the Beijing Games on Aug. 8.

China said Wednesday that the torch will still scale Mount Everest, which straddles Tibet and Nepal.

Tibetans and their supporters have protested in cities around the world against China, which cracked down on demonstrations against Chinese rule in Tibet last week. Some fear the arrival of the Olympic torch could spark violent protests against China, while others are calling for heads of state, dignitaries and even corporate sponsors to boycott the Olympics, or at least the opening ceremony.

A spokeswoman for the organizing committee of the 2012 London Olympics said there was no chance Britain would deny entry to the torch.

"That is absolutely nonsense. I can tell you categorically the torch is coming here on April 6," she said on condition of anonymity in line with committee policy.

Russian Olympic Committee spokesman Gennady Shvets said Russia was "absolutely not" considering canceling the torch relay.

Using a Russian expression to underline the position that the Olympics and related events should not be colored by politics, he said: "The flies and the cutlet are separate."

Yalcin Aksoy of the Turkish Olympic Committee said there was no question of the torch not coming to his country or being refused, and that such a move would be against the Olympic spirit.

"No one should mix politics with sports," Aksoy said.

In London, Tibetan protesters plan a rally on April 6 along with their own symbolic torch relay. They also plan to display flags and banners along the official torch route.

"Obviously we won't try to disrupt the torch relay. The torch will be carried by British citizens, such as children and disabled people," said Sophie Bod, a campaigner for the Free Tibet Campaign in London, who is organizing the rally and the symbolic relay.

"However, we will make a point along the torch route that we don't welcome it."

In France, human rights protesters also plan events to coincide with the passage of the flame.

Asian countries said Thursday they may need to increase security but not ban the torch.

"The relay will continue as planned," Thailand tourism minister Weerasak Kohsurat said, adding police would "evaluate the situation when the time comes if there is a need for tighter security.

"Still, (we) don't expect any unrest or any major protest in Bangkok," Weerasak said.

Bob Brown, leader of a minor Australian opposition party and a vocal advocate of Tibetan independence, welcomed the torch relay as an opportunity for peaceful protest.

Brown said banning the torch relay would "deny the opportunity for people in the Australian capital to show what they think of the oppression of Tibet and generally the suppression of freedoms in China."

In Indonesia, one of the torchbearers - former world badminton champion Icuk Sugiarto - said he hoped nothing would block the torch's route through Jakarta, its first time in the country.