A supporter of Tibet holds up a sign during Olympic torch ceremonies in San Francisco on Wednesday. Pressure is mounting for President Bush to skip the ceremonies as a growing list of world leaders announce they will not attend. By Alison Wright, Special to USA Today By David Jackson
USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — If President Bush attends the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Beijing, he could be a lonely leader.
The king of Cambodia, the president of Latvia and the mayor of Athens — host of the 2004 Summer Olympics — say they'll be there for the festivities, according to the Beijing Games' website.
But Bush's counterparts in Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Poland, Estonia and the Czech Republic are planning to skip the ceremonies amid protests against China's human rights policies, particularly regarding Tibet and Darfur.
"This is becoming a big problem for the Chinese government," said Jerry Fowler, president of the Save Darfur Coalition, which advocates a boycott of the opening ceremony.
Many world leaders have yet to say whether they'll attend. Human rights groups say they will continue to press Bush and others to stay away, and were buoyed by this week's protests in Paris and San Francisco of the Olympic torch run.
Bush has said he plans to go to the Olympics, but spokeswoman Dana Perino said it's too early to schedule the specific events that the president will attend, including the Aug. 8 opening festivities.
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama support the boycott. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, said Thursday he would not attend if he were president but stopped short of saying that is what Bush should do.
Bush told reporters on Feb. 28 he would attend the Olympics "because it's a sporting event." Perino said Thursday that Bush has often discussed his concerns about China's human rights record "and he's going to continue to do that before, during and after the Olympics."
Four years ago in Athens, former president George H.W. Bush led the U.S. delegation at the opening ceremony. Among others who attended then: British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, and the leaders of Turkey, Bosnia and the Ukraine.
This year, China has put a special emphasis on attracting world leaders for what amounts to "a coming-out party," said Derek Mitchell, the Pentagon's senior director for China during the Clinton administration.
"The opening ceremony is much more about the host country and celebrating them," he said.
The Save Darfur Coalition and other groups issued an open letter last week urging world leaders to pressure China over what they called Sudan's genocide in that nation's Darfur region. The letter said China has major influence because it is Sudan's "largest economic partner, major military supplier and chief diplomatic supporter."
Human Rights Watch issued a similar letter this week, citing Darfur and the recent Chinese crackdown on Tibet, the jailing of dissidents and media restrictions.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he is weighing his options. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, meanwhile, said he would not participate in any boycott and "nobody hopes for this." The Chinese have not said whether he'll attend.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said this week he would not attend the opening, but would go to the closing ceremony. London hosts the 2012 Summer Games. "Politicians have to make decisions themselves," said Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee.
Contributing: Janice Lloyd in Beijing
The king of Cambodia, the president of Latvia and the mayor of Athens — host of the 2004 Summer Olympics — say they'll be there for the festivities, according to the Beijing Games' website.
But Bush's counterparts in Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Poland, Estonia and the Czech Republic are planning to skip the ceremonies amid protests against China's human rights policies, particularly regarding Tibet and Darfur.
"This is becoming a big problem for the Chinese government," said Jerry Fowler, president of the Save Darfur Coalition, which advocates a boycott of the opening ceremony.
Many world leaders have yet to say whether they'll attend. Human rights groups say they will continue to press Bush and others to stay away, and were buoyed by this week's protests in Paris and San Francisco of the Olympic torch run.
Bush has said he plans to go to the Olympics, but spokeswoman Dana Perino said it's too early to schedule the specific events that the president will attend, including the Aug. 8 opening festivities.
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama support the boycott. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, said Thursday he would not attend if he were president but stopped short of saying that is what Bush should do.
Bush told reporters on Feb. 28 he would attend the Olympics "because it's a sporting event." Perino said Thursday that Bush has often discussed his concerns about China's human rights record "and he's going to continue to do that before, during and after the Olympics."
Four years ago in Athens, former president George H.W. Bush led the U.S. delegation at the opening ceremony. Among others who attended then: British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, and the leaders of Turkey, Bosnia and the Ukraine.
This year, China has put a special emphasis on attracting world leaders for what amounts to "a coming-out party," said Derek Mitchell, the Pentagon's senior director for China during the Clinton administration.
"The opening ceremony is much more about the host country and celebrating them," he said.
The Save Darfur Coalition and other groups issued an open letter last week urging world leaders to pressure China over what they called Sudan's genocide in that nation's Darfur region. The letter said China has major influence because it is Sudan's "largest economic partner, major military supplier and chief diplomatic supporter."
Human Rights Watch issued a similar letter this week, citing Darfur and the recent Chinese crackdown on Tibet, the jailing of dissidents and media restrictions.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he is weighing his options. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, meanwhile, said he would not participate in any boycott and "nobody hopes for this." The Chinese have not said whether he'll attend.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said this week he would not attend the opening, but would go to the closing ceremony. London hosts the 2012 Summer Games. "Politicians have to make decisions themselves," said Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee.
Contributing: Janice Lloyd in Beijing
24 comments:
I don't think there is any leader of any country dare to skip Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing at all. China is now a biggest cake of the world. Everyone wanted a share of the cake except those who has no stomach to feed. Areak Prey
Bravo grandpa kingkong. LOL!!!
Okay, we (asians) should give them the same treatment, next time they hold the Olympic in the west, alright? I am sicked and tired of westerners sissies.
Hey you Viet troller/pimp/parasite @9:38 AM,
Don't you know that you Viet pimp/parasite/plunderer people kiss the West's arse every single minute of your life huh? Quit being cocky and learn to debate you parasite!
Please forgive my intrusion. Mr. Heng Soy's typo - the title should read:
King Sihamoni will attend the Beijing Olympics]
Passer-by
I'll definitely support Asians not attending the Olympic in a Western country if THAT WESTERN COUNTRY occupied Cambodia (or any countries) and shamelessly called Cambodia ITS OWN province.
Should we all learn how to debate the way 9:56 is trying to teach 9:38?
Sure if you want to be stupid like 9:56.
Yeah but these freaking comments @ 10:09AM and 10:54AM are from the same freaking Viet pimp/parasite, what else can one say.
Most of you ugly pimps missed the whole point here. China is a super power or not, but China had failed to see blood runing down from people's stomuch in Durfur & Tibet. That is the point for not attending the fake olympic. Most of you pimps here seeing nothing about the suffering of real people, but your pimps's stomuch. So f*ck Off! and Please stay 9:56a.m. You're o.k.
Yes, and we have also seen hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis was added to the mass graves in Iraq since the US invasion.
How would the US like it if (we) (Asians) boycott the Olympic in the US?
Hello Poster 11:08AM,
How can you blame China for the killing in Dafur by Sudan Government army?
-First China has no army in there.
-Secondly China has sold only 8% of weapon to that country and where the other 92% have came from, did you know that?
-China has a strict policy not to interfere other country internal.
For Tibet, the recent demonstration was not a peacefull protest against China rule but it was a riot organised by gangs killing 13 shopkeepers and have burnt more than 200 shops in Larsa. People in Tibet may by living even far better than your guys. Areak Prey
Areak Prey, what is your view on Dalai Lama?
Areak Prey,
I disagree with your view on China, but do respect your view and the fact that you seem to be able to communicate and debate with more than simply responding with FOUR-LETTER words to whatever was posted.
depends on how you see it, is it a game that the world created or is it just politics as usual? to understand where the mentioned individuals stand, pick one. diversity and differences do count a lot, if you ask me.
stay with Ah youn and Ah chen! fool so you need to go to school!
please boy cut USA if you can! You not even invited and give the visa, trafiker!
Cambodian king will go to hell with China too...
Dream on!
Dear Poster 9:47PM,
From my point of view, Dalai Lama should work with China leaderships to improve Tibetian people living condition for the prosperity of Tibetian. China in always waiting for him for more dialogues. China can work with their ennemy Kok Mong Tang party in Taiwan, therefore, they can work with Dalai Lama.
For poster 3:31AM,
You are totally wrong. Cambodian King enjoyed his life in China instead. Areak Prey
Areak Prey, my understand is that Dalai Lama wants to work with China, but China refuges. Of course, China will agree only if Dalai Lama is willing to go along the only-China way. Unlike Taiwan and China, Tibet was a country before 1949 Chinese invasion. It lost half of its land to China after the invasion. The two countries have two different languages. Dalai Lama doesn't ask for an independent but an autonomy so Tibetians can continue to preserve its culture, tradition, and their way of living, and mondernization can follow. I don't think it is much to ask for. You can go to Youtube to lear more about his view.
Dear Poster 10:16AM,
You have not read my previous poster. Tibet has lost her sovereignity in the first time in 1279 till 1368 under Mongol and has lost for sencond time in 1664 to 1911. From 1911 till 1949 Tibet was under the colonial rules of Indian because China was being ruled by 8 collonial rulers. So in 1949, China has chased out foreign ruler Indian and England ( England ruled India). Offcourse China is prepare to work with Dalai Lama. But he failed to work directly with China. China is no longer ruling by one person such as Cambodia of Hun Sen. China has kept Tibet as a autonomous region. Tibet ruled Tibetian and work with China parliament. It is very hard for chinese Han to live in Tibet ( very high attitude).Taiwan is now working with China. Therefore China has no longer tension with Taiwan. Areak Prey
What's an idiot (7:54)? China should have more than 1 person to rule 1.4 billions people. For Cambodia, however, we only got 14 millions people, and we certainly don't need as many officials as China has to kill our national budget. Get it, you moron?
OOOOPs, there is an animal in here to yell to me (poster 2:36AM). He is a real animal breeded. When I said no longer one man rule, that means the country is being ruled by rules of the Law. Regardless of 14 millions or two people, we must have a rule of laws or an agreement letter. No where is allowed to have ruled by one person. Areak Prey
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