TORCH RELAY PROCEEDS WITH LITTLE INCIDENT

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000416 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL CH AS SUBJECT: TORCH RELAY PROCEEDS WITH LITTLE INCIDENT REF: CANBERRA 409 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Prime Minister Rudd, GOA officials and Chinese Embassy diplomats here are breathing a collective sigh of relief after the Olympic torch relay ended late April 24 morning with no major incidents, despite the presence of thousands of pro-China and pro-Tibet protesters. Two Chinese "flame attendants" ran on the street near the torch during the relay but Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers kept them from running beside the torch bearer. According to officials, two persons were arrested by police during the event. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Following the arrival of the Olympic torch on April 23, Chinese officials and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) officials publicly disagreed during a press conference over security for the torch. While the AFP said it would be providing all the security, a senior Chinese Olympic official said that its trained security personnel should be running with the torch. When journalists tried to question him further, the ACT's Chief Minister stepped in and said the official's remarks were not accepted by the ACT or the Federal Government. In the end, two Chinese flame attendants ran on the street near the torch but AFP officers stayed between them and the runner. ¶3. (SBU) China's supporters heavily outnumbered pro-Tibet demonstrators. The media reported that 80 bus loads of China supporters - both Chinese students studying in Australia and ethnic Chinese Australian citizens - from Sydney and Melbourne had come to support the torch relay. China's supporters were clearly more vocal, much more numerous, and better organized than the pro-Tibet protesters. Groups of flag-waving supporters appeared to be placed in an optimal location for the television cameras. Any confrontations that did occur were quickly broken up by police or unofficial pro-China crowd-controllers in yellow shirts. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: Though the media highlighted the AFP steering a "torch attendant" away from the torch carrier during the relay, overall, Australian law enforcement officers and Chinese officials appeared to be working together. Prime Minister Rudd, who had assumed a high profile role in public discussion of arrangements for the relay, has successfully avoided what could potentially have been an embarrassing day. MCCALLUM