The European Parliament voted today for a possible boycott by EU leaders of the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics if China fails to engage in talks with the Dalai Lama over the situation in Tibet.
Rogge insists the Games will rebound from its current crisis
"The European Parliament calls on the EU presidency ... to strive to find a common EU position with regard to attendance at the Olympic Games opening ceremony with the option of non-attendance in the event if there is no resumption of dialogue between the Chinese authorities and His Holiness the Dalai Lama," said a non-binding resolution passed by 580 votes to 24 with 45 abstentions.
Olympic chief Jacques Rogge said today that the Olympics would rebound from the Beijing Games torch relay "crisis" and urged athletes not to lose faith in the movement
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, speaking at the opening session of the IOC's executive board meeting, said athletes around the world were in "disarray" after the disruption of the torch relay in Europe by Tibet activists and others.
"Go back to your countries and tell your athletes and reassure them that whatever they might have seen and heard, the Games will be very well organised," Mr Rogge told the leaders of the 205 national Olympic Committees.
"This is going to be their Games and they will enjoy it. Tell them not to lose faith in the Olympic movement. Tell them we will rebound from this crisis," he said.
The Dalai Lama also said today he supports the Beijing Olympics and opposed violent protests that have disrupted the Olympic torch relay around the world.
"It is really deserving for the Chinese people to host the Olympic Games," he told reporters in Japan. "(Despite) the recent unfortunate event in Tibet, my position won't change."
But China's use of violence was an outdated way to suppress unrest in Tibet, he said during a brief stopover on his way to the United States for a two-week visit he said was not political.
The Dalai Lama told reporters he had sent a message to Tibetans in San Francisco, where the torch relay was held yesterday.
"I sent a message to the Tibetans in San Francisco area, please don't make any violent actions," he said.
Meanwhile China's ambassador to the US condemned a purported attempt to disrupt the US leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay, saying such "disgusting" conduct was doomed to fail, state media said today.
The torch's only stop in North America turned into a game of hide-and-seek yesterday 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.
As a result, many people did not see the flame after an opening ceremony when it was diverted from the original route.
Mr Rogge said the torch relay leg in San Francisco yesterday had been an improvement over protest-disrupted legs in London and Paris earlier this week but still fell short of the ideal.
"We were saddened by what we saw in London and Paris. We were sad for the athletes and the torch bearers. We were sad for the children who watched their heroes and role models booed," Mr Rogge said.
"Fortunately, the situation was much better in San Francisco yesterday. It was, however, not the joyous party that we had we wished it to be," he said.
Deadly riots in Tibet on March 14th and China's response to unrest there and in other Western regions of the country have come to dominate preparations for the Beijing Olympics.
Tibet activists disrupted the relay at its lighting in Ancient Olympia, and then in London and Paris on Monday, where the torch was extinguished several times and the route cut short.