By Tham Choy Lin, Bernama
Beijing : China said Tuesday any attempts to disrupt the global-wide journey of the Olympics torch is “shameful and unpopular”, a day after a protester broke through tight security in ancient Olympia during the lighting of the flame for the Games scheduled in Beijing in August.
Foreign Minister spokesman Qin Gang said plans to bear the Olympics torch up Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, remained as planned despite the unrest that rocked the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, and Tibetan-populated areas in neighbouring provinces.
“The Beijing Olympics is a sport event of all countries around the world, the holy fire represents the goodwill and pursuit of mankind. Any act aimed to disrupt the torch relay and the Olympic Games is shameful and unpopular,” he told a news conference.
Asked if China was embarrassed by the lighting ceremony breach, he replied: “It should not be on the Chinese side, it should be those who try to disrupt the torch relay.”
With pro-Tibetan supporters attacking 17 Chinese missions abroad, concerns are whether they would obstruct the path of the longest Olympic torch relay in history, both inside and outside China.
The torch will arrive in Beijing on March 31 and from April 1 to May 3, it is scheduled to win its way through 21 cities outside mainland China before returning back for the domestic leg of 113 cities, including Lhasa, from May until Aug 8 for the Games opening.
Malaysia is among the stops for the torch which is planned to arrive in Kuala Lumpur on April 20.
China believed that countries involved in the torch relay would ensure that all was safe.
“We believe the competent authorities of the country to which the torch has been assigned have the obligation to ensure a smooth torch relay and security,” Qin Gang said.
Qin Gang said the Olympia incident did not speak for the “whole world” and people around the globe would welcome the torch and support a smooth relay and successful Olympic Games in Beijing.
International Olympics Committee president Jacques Rogge underlined his concern at the lighting ceremony.
“The Olympics Torch Relay and the Olympic Games must take place in a peaceful environment,” he said.