Foreign reporters to see Everest torch ascent

China invites reporters in Tibet for Olympic torch's ascent

A group of foreign reporters left for Tibet today on a tightly-controlled trip to cover the Olympic torch's ascent of Everest, the first overseas journalists allowed into the region in a month.

Eleven reporters from seven news organisations were expected to arrive at Lhasa airport in the afternoon, an official with the Beijing Olympic organisers said, although they will not be allowed into the capital itself.

The group of largely television journalists went ahead with the trip after earlier protesting travel arrangements set by China.

Reporters raised fears that the planned three-day trip up to Mount Everest base camp at 5,150 metres was too fast and could trigger altitude sickness and other severe health problems.

China plans to take a special high-altitude Olympic torch to the summit of the world's tallest peak in May as a triumphal symbol of Beijing's hosting of the Games in August, and had invited several major media organisations to cover the event.

However, officials said this week reporters would only arrive at base camp after the torch had already left there for the summit, and would be prevented from reporting on anything other than the flame.

Some international news organisations, including AFP, subsequently opted out of the trip on health grounds and because of the restrictions.

China has clamped tight control on Tibet after anti-Chinese rioting broke out in Lhasa on March 14, later spreading across the Tibetan plateau, and has expelled foreign reporters and tourists from the Himalayan region.