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German Chancellor, Canadian Prime Minister and UN chief admit they won't attend Olympics opening ceremony
Last updated at 01:37am on 13.04.08United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon became the latest political leader yesterday to say he would not be attending the opening of the Beijing Olympics.
Although UN officials said the Chinese government had been told "some months ago", the timing of his announcement was a boost for human rights campaigners demanding a boycott of the opening ceremony in protest over Beijing's human rights record in Tibet.
Gordon Brown and German chancellor Angela Merkel have said they will not be attending the opening while French president Nicolas Sarkozy is also considering staying away.
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Boycott: UN cheif Ban Ki-Moon says he won't attend Games after Brown said he wouldn't go
The prime minister was yesterday lauded for “boycotting” the Games, despite Downing Street insisting that it had said for months that he would attend only the closing ceremony.
Ms Okabe said: “The secretary-general had conveyed to the Chinese government some months ago that he may not be in a position to accept the invitation to attend this important event due to scheduling issues.”
Mr Ban was planning “a substantive visit to China” instead, she said. His snub was delivered after a week of damaging protests in London, Paris and San Francisco as the Olympics torch makes its way around the globe.
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After protests in Paris and London, demonstrators moved to San Francisco to follow the torch
Disgust: A pro-Tibetan protester along the route of the relay
Games bosses were today braced for further protest as the torch arrived in Buenos Aires from San Francisco. Organisers said 6,000 police and guards would escort the torch on its latest leg through the Argentinian capital, where protesters said they had “some surprises planned”.
Human rights campaigners have called on world leaders to skip the opening ceremony on 8 August in protest at Beijing's crackdown on pro-independence campaigners in Tibet.
Protests caused chaos in London along the 31-mile route of the torch procession and forced French security bosses to extinguish the flame at least three times in Paris. German chancellor Angela Merkel will not attend the opening and French president Nicolas Sarkozy is considering staying away.
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Parade: The boys in blue are back, along with a heavy contingent of police
US Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have called on President George Bush to boycott the ceremony.
Further controversy was stirred today when athletes were warned that they could be sent home from the Games if they displayed Tibetan flags at Olympics venues — even in their own rooms.
Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympics Committee, said competitors were free to express political views, but would face sanctions if they indulged in propaganda.
Mr Rogge was also forced to admit that the Games were “in crisis” after the week of protests, which worsened yesterday when Indonesia announced it would significantly shorten its leg of the torch relay in the capital, Jakarta.
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Clash: Chinese supporters and opponents gather near the Ferry Plaza
The 22 April leg had originally been due to pass through large stretches of the bustling city but now would be restricted to a sports complex in the city centre.
Meanwhile, Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived in the US today for a conference on compassion.
At Seattle airport he strongly denied Chinese allegations he and his followers have used the run-up to the Olympics to foment unrest.
“Right from the beginning, we supported the Olympic Games,” he told reporters.
“I really feel very sad the government demonisesme. I am just a human; I am not a demon.”
Reader views (19)
If Gordon goes no-one will show up. He needs to stay away to save the games!
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Muildenhall, Suffolk
At last, it had to happen sooner or later, Gordon's ineptitude has brought some worthwhile results. I think they should have a slide trombone player in Parliament for when Mr Brown speaks. Also, is it true they've banned bananas being brought into the house due to the amount of pitfalls occurring?
- Hugh Manrites, London
This is all nonsense. There are to logical positions to be taken here and any other is a hypocritical fudge. 1. Go to the opening ceremony and everything else. or 2. Don't have anything to do with China, period, no games, no cheap toys, no shoddy engineered products .... nothing.
It is long past time the world made its mind up about those unreconstructed thugs over there. We can see how bad it is because even ordinary Chinese don't know about the repression they are subjected to day in and day out. Maybe the parallels with our Western "democracy" are too much for the Bushes and Browns of this world to admit to though. Maybe that is the real reason for the fudge.
- John, Dundee, UK
It is not a good attitude to show. It will be a pity to miss the chance to see the brilliant opening ceremony. Let's just de-politics when talking about the Olympics.
- Shelley, Shanghai, China
Why are you surprised? Every statement made by the Broon Jobbie has had at least 4 different meanings. He is a congenital liar.
- Ayliff A Mcnab, Orihuela Costa, Alicante
Now listen - Brown is always vigilant about these matters so for that reason, there will be a review to decide whether he attending or not. So there, problem solved.
- Tom, St. Albans
Oh, they'd find a reason to get upset ready for the next one, JC. Lots of people with their pet causes who're ready to high jack any big event for their moment in the camera lights.
- Rogan, DFW Texas
Yes, I mean no, well maybe, actually no, yes, oh crap, I don't know.
- R M, London, UK
Nick Clegg is a fine one to call the kettle (Brown) black. Nick Clegg and Brown make a nice pair. Together, they agreed to turn this country into a province of the new E.U. federal state (country) with their shameless shenanigans in shoving the Lisbon Treaty Bill (E.U. Constitution) through the U.K. Parliament without the people having any say. Congratulations, Nick and Gordon, for giving the country away and breaking the Labour / LibDem manifesto promises to let the people have a say in what country they and their children will live!
- Phil Jones, London UK
Congratulations Hillary. Well done!
- Fraser, Telford Park
Hillary Clinton sticking her nose into things that don't concern her.
She is not the President and never will be and should go away and shut the hell up!
- Linda, Houston, TX
Clinton is well-known for appropriating comments and actions of others and re-interpreting them to suit her own sound-bite political needs.
- Rogan, DFW Texas
gotta love that comment from Dr Finlay.......
Brown is racist against whites and pro people with black skins and somewhat in between for Asian Chinese...
Wow, where do you get these ideas, they are so off the wall!
- Martin_Guildford, Guildford
Nick Clegg says "The PM has failed to show real leadership on this vital issue". Wake up and smell the coffee, Nick, Crash Gordon has failed to show real leadership on any number of issues?
PS - does anyone know whether Tessa Jowell be taking her "estranged" husband to the opening ceremony?
- Marianne, SW France
Mr. Bean Brown as usual: then he does then he does not then he does then he does not... Difficulty deciding!
- Steveo, London, NW1
"From his reluctance to bring up human rights during his recent visit to China, to his last minute agreement to meet the Dalai Lama, the Prime Minister has failed to show real leadership on this vital issue,"
Funny that Gordon brings up human rights issues when it involves Zimbabwe such as his stance of boycotting a European and African meeting. Could this be because Zimbabwe hasn't got much power and world influence as opposed to china. Is it also because they are black and Gordon is nothing if not anti white and English.
- Dr Finlays Casebook, London, UK
Chine sure is going to have to sort itself out well before the games, it really has the skids under it.
- Tony, London E11
Oh dear. Well, it looked like a boycott the way it was presented on French news last night - but the French must have got it wrong: boycotting the games would be far too decisive and principled for Gordon Brown. Besides, the way Labour represents the country's interests, turning up at the end when it's all finished would be about right...
- Roz, Chamonix, France
So what do we want - Gordo in China for 2 weeks in August, or for him to pop over for the closing when the Olympics gets handed to the UK. Also surely with all these issues over china and the Olympics - this is a real chance for London to redefine the Olympics in a positive way after what will be a tainted games.
Perhaps this is London's chance to take the games back to their original values - make it smaller, make it more about human beings and less about "brands" (in the widest sense of the word). Strange how the Olympics have always happened in London after a crisis with the games - 1908 - when Rome pulled out with 2 years to go (domestic crisis in Italy - volcanoes) - 1948 when there had not been games for 8 years and the last had been the controversial 1936 games - and now when post Beijing the Olympics Movement will be looking for a move back to original ideals and away from controversy - lets hope the UK can stay out of any wars until then!
- Jc, London
