The chairman of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) torch relay task force, Ted Quinlan, expressed confidence Friday that the Beijing Olympic torch relay in Canberra will run its full course and not be affected by what happened in San Francisco.
"We will not cut the course of the 20 km torch relay in the ACT," Quinlan told Xinhua.
He said his task force is working with the Australian Federal Police and other related agencies to guarantee a peaceful torch relay.
"We are working with all the necessary agencies, we're taking on board the intelligence from the relay so far and we're also taking on the intelligence that arises within Australia as to what likely protest action we'll see in Canberra," Quinlan said. He added that they have considered all possibilities and made full preparations to protect the torch bearers as well as the people involved in the relay.
Quinlan said despite likely protests during the torch relay, he did not see any reason to cancel the event in Canberra on April 24.
"I certainly don't support the calls for cancellation," he said.
In San Francisco, the United States, the route for the torch relay was changed Wednesday due to threats by Tibetan separatists and their supporters to storm the relay.
(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2008)