VARIOUS: Beijing asks U.S. for greater security of Olympic flame after pro-Tibet protests marr European relay

Record ID: 332548

  • Title: VARIOUS: Beijing asks U.S. for greater security of Olympic flame after pro-Tibet protests marr European relay
  • Date: 8th April 2008
  • Summary: (W2) BEIJING, CHINA (APRIL 8, 2008) (REUTERS) SIGN OF BEIJING ANOC (ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES) SPEAKERS AT TABLE EMPTY SEATS OF JACQUES ROGGE AND MARIO VASQUEZ DELEGATES SITTING IN ROWS DELEGATES LEAVING (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC MEMBER ALEX GILADY, SAYING: "I am not very happy. I'm very disappointed with the inability of the security forces to control the flame and I'm very unhappy with the demonstrators who look at the flame as a Chinese flame, while it is an international Olympic Committee flame. And we are not happy, we bite our tongue and we go on." ROW OF FLAGS WITH AUDIENCE SEATS IN FRONT THREE DELEGATES TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEVEN ROUSH, CHIEF OF SPORT PERFORMANCE OF U.S. OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, SAYING: "Our intent was always to have a safe relay, so there's not been any changes. I think we felt we had a security plan in place that was adequate to take care of and anticipated there would be some voice of concern from the different groups as it came to San Francisco." TWO ELDERLY DELEGATES SITTING AND TALKING (BN08) BEIJING, CHINA (APRIL 8, 2008) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN JIANG YU ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN JIANG YU SAYING: "The Olympic flame has never been put off, the French made a contribution to protect the torch relay. The shows by Tibetan separatists expose their destructive and violent true face and nature." JOURNALIST LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN JIANG YU SAYING: "About the torch relay in San Francisco, we are working closely with the United States. We believe that with efforts from both sides, we will be able to ensure a safe and smooth torch relay. We also warn the organisations and individuals, who want to sabotage the Olympics so as to serve their secret purpose and to tarnish Chinese image and press China. They are doomed to fail." JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTIONS OLYMPIC COORDINATION COMMISSION VICE CHAIRMAN AND KEVAN GOSPER READING NEWSPAPER AND TALKING TO JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC COORDINATION COMMISSION VICE CHAIRMAN KEVAN GOSPER SAYING: "The torch should continue. We are disappointed with the disruptions. We believe that people have all the rights to demonstrate peacefully but we believe that anybody who doesn't demonstrate peacefully and clearly disrupts and runs the risk of injury, serious injury, to others and completely ignores what our Olympic torch runs for, is unacceptable." DELEGATES ARRIVING FOR MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC COORDINATION COMMISSION VICE CHAIRMAN KEVAN GOSPER SAYING: "The torch relay should go right to the end. Unfortunately these dissidents who have nothing in their mind but to destroy, don't understand how much investment, time and effort has been put in by the Chinese people to prepare a games for the athletes of the world can compete under best possible conditions, but that's life." DELEGATES ENTERING MEETING HALL
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVADA0MD1VOQZU4LA55ZO1LNLTBW
  • Story Text: China on Tuesday (April 8) denounced protesters who upstaged Olympic Games torch relays in London and Paris and asked the United States to ensure that the next leg in San Francisco avoids similar mayhem.
    International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials also criticised the protests and a spokeswoman said the torch relay was expected to continue as scheduled.
    Officials in Paris on Monday (April 7) were forced to hustle the Olympic torch onto a bus when protesters against Chinese policy on Tibet tried to seize it.
    In London the day before, activists waving Tibetan flags and shouting "Shame on China" also turned the event into a torrid obstacle course.
    China quickly condemned the disruptions as "vile" and, in a departure from past reticence, state-run television and newspapers showed the protests and upset spectators.

    "The Olympic flame has never been put off, the French made a contribution to protect the torch relay. The shows by Tibetan separatists expose their destructive and violent true face and nature," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.
    At a later briefing, she said Chinese and U.S. officials had been working together to ensure the visit of the torch to San Francisco on Wednesday would go "safely and smoothly".

    "About the torch relay in San Francisco, we are working closely with the United States. We believe that with efforts from both sides, we will be able to ensure a safe and smooth torch relay. We also warn the organisations and individuals, who want to sabotage the Olympics so as to serve their secret purpose and to tarnish Chinese image and press China. They are doomed to fail," Yu said.
    The IOC was also concerned about security in San Francisco.

    "Our intent was always to have a safe relay, so there's not been any changes. I think we felt we had a security plan in place that was adequate to take care of and anticipated there would be some voice of concern from the different groups as it came to San Francisco.," said Steven Roush, Chief of Sport Performance of U.S. Olympic Committee.
    In San Francisco, where the flame is to make its only U.S. stop, three protesters scaled the city's famed Golden Gate bridge on Monday to hang banners reading "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet" and "Free Tibet 08" ahead of the torch's arrival.
    The torch relay disruptions follow unrest in Tibet that China has said was the work of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader. He has repeatedly denied China's claims.
    Beijing's subsequent security drive in Tibet and nearby areas has galvanised international groups denouncing the crackdown and calling for the mountain region's autonomy or independence.
    IOC President Jacques Rogge acknowledged the right of people to protest but hoped the Olympic flame would be respected as a symbol of unity.

    "However, if you want to protest, it has to be peaceful. We don't accept violence," he said in an interview with Chinese media. "We accept protest, we don't accept violence."
    An IOC spokeswoman said there had been no discussion of curtailing the international leg of the relay and that "the expectation as we speak today is that the relay will continue as planned".
    Kevan Gosper, the IOC press chief, said after Beijing, international legs should not be considered for future Games.

    "The torch should continue. We are disappointed with the disruptions. We believe that people have all the rights to demonstrate peacefully but we believe that anybody who doesn't demonstrate peacefully and clearly disrupts and runs the risk of injury, serious injury, to others and completely ignores what our Olympic torch runs for, is unacceptable,"
    Gosper added.
    Beijing, which had hoped the Olympic torch relay would be a symbol of cheerful unity in the run-up to the Aug. 8-24 Games, is seeking to rally public opinion to back government policy and reject criticism of the Beijing Olympics.
    Newspapers played on the public rancour.

    "France didn't protect the sacred flame," said the Global Times, a popular tabloid. "The world has seen the irrational extremism of some in the West, and also seen the incompetence of the Paris police."
    Feelings were also running high on the streets of the Chinese capital.
    U.S. Democratic presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton urged President George W. Bush on Monday to boycott the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony unless China improves human rights.
    Jiang Yu said U.S. politicians should have a "clear and sober understanding" of the recent events.
    Bush has said he will attend the ceremony and so far has resisted pressure to change his plans.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register