Report: Merkel to miss Beijing Olympics

By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
March 29, 2008

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has become the first world leader to announce she will not be at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, a German official confirmed.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in addition to confirming Merkel's decision, said he and Interior Minister Wolfgang Schauble will avoid the opening ceremony, The Guardian reported.

The crackdown on protests in Tibet and the Chinese government's claim that the Dalai Lama instigated rioting there have brought renewed attention to the lack of democracy in China, the newspaper said.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday he would stay away from Beijing. Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who had previously said he would attend the games, followed suit almost immediately.

Foreign ministers from the 27 EU member states were expected to discuss the Olympics and Tibet in Slovakia Saturday, attempting to work out a common position.