(dpa) - The Olympic torch arrived in Oman Monday in the absence of any anti-Chinese demonstrators or disruption.
Officials had promised to come down heavily on any protests and the warning appears to have been heeded as government officials, athletes and schoolchildren welcomed the torch on its journey through the capital Muscat.
Oman's national Olympic committee said that Sports Minister Ali bin Massud al-Sunaidi had welcomed the torch on its arrival at Muscat airport from the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam.
The 20-kilometre-long torch route, which involved 80 athletes, was moved to early evening to avoid high temperatures of up to 39 degrees celsius.
The Pakistan capital Islamabad is the next stop on the torch's 20- nation tour although the length of the route there has been reduced owing to security concerns.
The torch will arrive in Islamabad late Tuesday evening from Muscat but the relay will be held the next day, Wednesday.
The Olympic torch relay has been dogged by protests against China's actions in Tibet and its overall human rights record since it began its six-continent trek from ancient Olympia in Greece on March 24.
The most serious disruptions to date occurred in Paris, London and San Francisco.