CHINESE Olympics officials faced protest by Tibetan activists in Greece yesterday, while dismissing a US warning on surveillance of visitors to Beijing.

The US State Department said people visiting China for the Olympics should be mindful that all hotel rooms and offices are subject to monitoring without the occupant's consent or knowledge.

The Chinese foreign ministry called the advisory irresponsible and said China's security measures for public places keep within international norms.

China has also accused the Dalai Lama of stoking Tibetan unrest to sabotage the Olympics, after this month's anti-government violence there and in neighbouring provinces turned into a public relations disaster for China ahead of the event.

A pro-Tibet independence group protested at the official lighting of the Olympic torch in Greece yesterday. The torch is scheduled to travel through 20 countries before the Beijing Olympics open on August 8.

China plans to take the torch relay through Tibet and to the top of Mount Everest, something that has upset Tibet activist groups.

Students for a Free Tibet spokesman Tenzin Dorjee said he wanted the International Olympic Committee to remove Tibet from the torch route. He said allowing China to carry the torch through Tibet would be "adding insult to 50 years of bloodstained injury".

The Chinese government has said formerly restive areas were under control and accused the Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, of trying to harm China's image ahead of the summer games.

The Tibetan spiritual leader called the accusations against him baseless, saying he supported China's hosting of the summer games.

China's reported death toll from protests in the Tibetan capital Lhasa earlier this month is 22. Tibet's exiled government says 99 Tibetans have been killed.

Meanwhile, police in Nepal broke up a protest by 200 Tibetan refugees and monks near the offices of the UN by beating them with bamboo sticks and arresting 40, it is reported.

Yesterday's protest was the latest by Tibetan monks and refugees in Nepal's capital Katmandu demanding the UN investigate the recent crackdown in Tibet by Chinese authorities.

Nepal has said it will not allow protests against any friendly nation'' including China.