Asking China to use restraint in dealing with protesters, the US indicated that President George W Bush's plans to attend the Beijing Olympic games of 2008 would not be influenced by unrest in Tibet.
“The president's position about the Olympics has been that this is not a political event but a chance for athletes to compete at the top of their class," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said on Friday replying to a question on whether Bush would reconsider his plans to go to the Bejing Olympics.
"The president's position is that this should be about the athletes and not necessarily about politics," she added.
Ruling out boycott of the Beijing Olympics, Perino said that a message has been sent to China on the need for restraint in Tibet.
"One of the things the President has said, also, in regards to this is that any country who's going to be hosting the Olympics will have a bright light shined upon it and it is a chance for that country to put its best face forward," Perino said.
The spokeswoman said the US was "very concerned" about what's happening in Tibet.
"The president, as head of state, has spoken very frankly to President Hu," she added.
The same view was echoed by State department spokesman Sean McCormack.
"I would just reiterate what the president said about the Olympics; that we view this as a significant international sporting event. We're going to treat it as such," he said.
"We would also encourage China to make use of the fact that the world is watching the Olympics in this important international event, to put its best face forward, not only during the Olympics, but in the run-up to as well as after the Olympics," McCormack said.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, during her 20 minute telephonic conversation with Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi on Thursday, also urged Beijing to exercise restraint in dealing with the protesters in Tibet, McCormack said.
Violence doesn't serve anybody's purposes. And Rice also underlined our call for the Chinese government to enter into a dialogue with the Dalai Lama, as well as to respect the multiethnic composition of the Chinese state," he said.
"We believe Dalai Lama is a man of peace. He is a man of reconciliation and one whom the Chinese government can have a dialogue with," McCormack said.
"All we can do appeal to the Chinese -- Chinese government to deal with this matter in an appropriate manner.”
The spokesman declined to comment on a remark of the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown that Beijing would be willing to engage the Dalai Lama but with a few conditions.
He said a request for access to areas in Lhasa has not been granted by the Chinese authorities.
Rattled by the massive scale of protests, China on Friday rushed more troops to restive Tibet and neighbouring provinces to contain the pro-independence movement and arrested 24 people in a stepped up crackdown while asking the Dalai Lama to create conditions for talks.
Source: DDNEWS
Comment and add to the story without registration, but keep the comments meaningful please. Links are not accepted.
