Security has been tightened in the Tibetan provincial capital of Lhasa as the city hosts the Olympic torch relay's most sensitive stop in China.

Reports say there is an increased presence of police and troops as part of an effort to prevent a repeat of the unrest that erupted earlier this year.

Ethnic Tibetans clashed with security forces and Han Chinese in March in the biggest protests for two decades.

The 11km (seven mile) parade is due to begin at 0900 (0100 GMT).

Foreign journalists have been barred from Lhasa since the unrest.

But a small group of reporters representing about 30 international news organisations has been allowed into the city to cover the torch relay.

The procession will begin at Norbulingka, the former summer palace of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader now living in exile in India.

It finishes at the iconic hilltop Potala Palace, the traditional seat of Tibetan rulers.

The BBC's James Reynolds in Lhasa said small crowds of people were wandering in the square in front of the palace on the eve of the relay, as performers practised for the ceremonies.

But he said he also saw four military trucks near the area - two of which were filled with soldiers in riot gear.

Palma Trily, vice-governor of the Beijing-backed Tibetan government, said he was confident the relay would pass through the city without incident.

"We have sufficient confidence and capability to turn tomorrow's Lhasa torch relay into a big success," the Associated Press quoted him as saying on Friday.

A planned three-day stay in Tibet has been cut to one day because of schedule adjustments linked to last month's Sichuan earthquake, officials said.

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(BBC)

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