New Delhi: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani hopes China will throw open more pilgrimage routes to Tibet's Mansarovar lake.

Though the Communist nation is wary of opening up more access routes to Tibet across the Himalayas, its suspicions would be overcome in the near future as mutual confidence takes firm roots, he said.

Flagging off motorcyclists on an expedition from New Delhi, which will take them to Leh, Advani said Indian Defence Minister, during his recent visit to Beijing, discussed the issue of allowing pilgrims through a safer and easier route from Leh across the Himalayas.

"This whole route is such that it will facilitate the journey well. China is however not agreeing to the proposal as yet.

"George (Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes) has talked about it and he feels that we can persuade them. Prime Minister (Atal Behari Vajpayee) is also going next month and he will raise the issue with them," the deputy premier added.

More than 500 pilgrims travel each year to the Himalayan shrine of Kailash-Mansarovar in Tibet, mostly through the Lipulekh pass which goes through Nepal.

Hindus revere Mansarovar lake and the flanking Mount Kailash, which is the highest mountain in Tibet at 22,022 feet, as the abode of Lord Shiva.

The Kailash-Mansarovar route has been an ancient trade route between India and China. Hindus used to undertake the pilgrimage for many years until 1962 when India and China fought a brief war. But the pilgrimage was resumed in 1981 following improvement in bilateral relations.

Beijing has asked New Delhi to postpone this year's Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage citing precautions for the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus. However, there are no reports of SARS infection from either Tibet or India.

The pilgrimage is as good as cancelled unless allowed within the limited months during which the high passes would remain open.

ANI