All talks of a political boycott of the 2008 Olympics in China has run out of steam. When the games open in two weeks, political heavyweights like USA President George Bush and Russia's Vladimir Putin will be in place. From Norway will come King Harald as well as the Swedish royal couple King Gustav and Queen Silvia.
The Swedish government has no thoughts of showing any criticisms against the Chinese government for its iron-handling of the Tibetan monks' protest by absenting itself from the gala opening ceremony. "We never had any positions to boycott the Olympics opening ceremony," says Swedish Culture Minister Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International has no demands either to boycott the Olympics. It has been a Swedish tradition to send the culture minister to the Olympics inauguration, followed later by the Royal couple's visit from Aug. 14 to 24.
It is not yet clear which heads of states are attending the Olympics 2008, although Reuters has reported that USA's George Bush, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is also currently holding the EU presidency will be attending, as well as Russia's Vladimir Putin and Israel's Shimon Peres. Finland will be represented by Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. Netherlands, Japan, Australia and Italy will also be represented by the respective heads of states.
Earlier this year, China was very much in world focus for its handling of the protesting Tibetan monks. It was then that talks of a political boycott of the Olympic games became heard, especially from French President Sarkozy. But he says now: "I believe that insulting China is not the best way of showing respect for human rights. I do not believe that one can boycott 1.3 billion people which is one-fourth of the world's population."
Other leading politicians like Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and United Kingdom's Gordon Brown have clearly stated they will not attend the opening ceremony. But according to Us CBS News, Brown is thinking of coming for the closing ceremony.
(Translation made from DN, 28 July 2008))
Monday, July 28, 2008
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