FED: Olympic flame and 'technical assistants' arrive in Aust

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2008
FED: Olympic flame and 'technical assistants' arrive in Aust

By Julian Drape

CANBERRA, April 23 AAP - The Olympic flame has arrived in Canberra ahead of tomorrow's
relay but it was still not clear today what role Chinese officials will play in protecting
the torch from protesters.

Neither was it known where the flame would spend today, with officials only saying
it had been put "to bed".

The red carpet was rolled out at Canberra's Fairbairn RAAF base after the Air China
plane touched down at 7.50am (AEST) following a six-hour flight from Jakarta.

There were no protesters present.

Chinese Olympic officials initially presented the Olympic flame to local Aboriginal
elder Agnes Shea, who in turn gave them a traditional message stick of peace and welcome.

But after the ceremony Australian IOC member Kevan Gosper reignited debate over what
part Beijing organising committee officials would play in the relay when he said they
would have a "technical role".

"If there's difficulty with the torch, the Beijing torch attendants are trained to
get that torch moving again," Mr Gosper told reporters.

"They've got a technical role."

During the flame's journey around the globe the tracksuited Chinese officials have
been variously described as torch attendants, paramilitary police and even thugs by a
British Olympic official.

Now it seems Australian officials have decided they are "technical assistants".

Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said three Chinese "technical assistants"

would run with the torch tomorrow and three more would be in reserve.

"They have a responsibility to keep the flame alight," Mr Coates told reporters at Fairbairn.

Both Mr Coates and Mr Gosper said the technical role would not involve security, which
was the sole domain of Australian police.

Yesterday, the Chinese ambassador to Australia, Zhang Junsai, said the staff would
play a role in keeping the flame secure, before later seeking to clarify his comments.

"If the flame was attacked I believe they would use their bodies," Mr Junsai told the
Nine Network, before later saying he'd been "misrepresented" and "did not contradict the
prime minister".

Kevin Rudd has consistently said Chinese torch escorts will play no role in security.

The Olympic flame was whisked away from Fairbairn this morning, possibly to the Chinese Embassy.

Olympic relay committee chair Ted Quinlan said after being welcomed to Australia the
flame had been put "to bed", but he did not know where.

"I don't know (where), and I don't want to know," Mr Quinlan told reporters.

"Originally, it was going to a hotel but there's (now) a distinct possibility it's
going to go to the embassy."

Mr Coates said he had no idea where the flame would be kept today.

During the official welcoming ceremony, ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said the Olympics
and the torch relay was all about participation.

"Participation in this relay is important ... for those who care about human rights
as well as those who care about the ideals of sport," Mr Stanhope said.

But for federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis, winning was important too.

"Australia has a long tradition not just of participation in the Olympic Games but
also a great record of success," she said during the ceremony.

AAP jcd/pw/sp

KEYWORD: OLY08 FLAME AUST 2ND DAYLEAD (PIX AVAILABLE)

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