Asian countries eager for Olympic torch relay despite Tibet violence

The Olympic torch relay is unlikely to be detoured by China's recent crackdown on protests in Tibet, with Asian countries saying they are eagerly awaiting the flame's arrival.

"It is out of the question" that the torch rally would skip Pakistan, said Mohammed Yahya, a spokesman for its Olympics Association. His sentiments were echoed by sports officials from a range of Asian nations.

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 Greece before being carried through 20 countries on its way to opening the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 8.

China said Wednesday that the torch would scale Mount Everest, which straddles Tibet and Nepal, as planned despite the situation in Tibet. Countries are busy choosing their torchbearers and planning security and celebrations along the routes.

Tibetans and their supporters have protested in cities around the world against China, which cracked down on demonstrations in Tibet last week against Chinese rule. Some fear the arrival of the Olympic torch as it travels toward Beijing 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.

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

"The relay will continue as planned," said Thailand's tourism minister, Weerasak Kohsurat. He said 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."

The Olympic committees in India, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam all said they had no plans to alter the torch relay in their countries.

"We've got five hours and 80 runners lined up and are looking forward with much anticipation to April 24 in Canberra," said Australian Olympic Committee media director Mike Tancred.

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.

Sugiarto said he hoped "there will be no disruption and the event will happen as scheduled."

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Associated Press writers Rod McGuirk and Dennis Passa in Australia, Ali Kotarumalos in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Matthew Pennington in Islamabad, Pakistan, contributed to this story.