Sarkozy Hints at Beijing Boycott

Nicolas Sarkozy today became the first world leader to hint strongly at a boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony unless China exercised restraint in quelling protests in Tibet.

The French president, on the eve of a visit to Britain, said “all options were open” and that he would make a decision whether to attend the event on August 8 depending on the response of the Chinese authorities.

“Our Chinese friends must understand the worldwide concern that there is about the question of Tibet,” he said. “I don't close the door to any option, but I think it's more prudent to reserve my responses to concrete developments in the situation. I will graduate my response according to the response given by Chinese authorities.”

A snub by Mr Sarkozy to what has been called China’s “coming out party” would put pressure on other European leaders to follow suit.

France will hold the rotating EU presidency during the Games while hosting the Dalai Lama for the first time since 2003 as the spiritual leader delivers Buddhist lectures in the western city of Nantes.

Gordon Brown still intends to travel to Beijing along with three other ministers, as does George Bush. Prince Charles, a supporter of the Dalai Lama, is not attending the Olympics.

It would also heap embarrassment on the Chinese, who are already worried that the Olympic torch relay – the prelude to the opening ceremony – will be hijacked by political protestors and human rights activists along its 85,000-mile route to Beijing.