China condemns Olympic torch relay disruptions

By Benjamin Kang Lim

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's ambassador to the United States condemned a purported attempt to disrupt the U.S. leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay, saying such "disgusting" conduct was doomed to fail, state media said on Thursday.

The torch's only stop in North America turned into a game of hide-and-seek on Wednesday as the San Francisco route was abruptly changed by city officials, angering anti-China protesters and disappointing supporters.

Thousands of people converged along the scenic Embarcadero waterfront route in the city. But after the opening ceremony, the first runner, flanked by blue-clad Chinese security officials, carried the torch into a warehouse.

The torch eventually turned up miles away from the original planned route.

"A tiny group of people ignored the spirit of the Olympic charter and tried to disrupt and sabotage the Beijing Olympic Games," the official Xinhua news agency quoted Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong as saying. He did not elaborate on the purported plot.

The group also tried to "damage Sino-U.S. relations and tarnish China's image. This disgusting conduct is unpopular and doomed to fail," Zhou said without elaborating.

The torch was a magnet last week for chaotic demonstrations in London and Paris over China's human rights record and a recent government crackdown on monk-led protests in Tibet.

Groups unhappy about China's human rights record and its policies on Sudan's Darfur region have sought to pressure Beijing as it prepares to host the Olympics in August.