France raises idea of boycotting Olympics
ceremony over Tibet
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of France said Tuesday that the European Union should consider punishing China's crackdown in Tibet with a boycott of the opening ceremony of this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing.
His comments followed an appeal by the press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders to governments across the world to shun the highly symbolic ceremony during which the Olympic flame is lighted.
European leaders have been conspicuously quiet since protesters and the Chinese police first clashed in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, a week ago.
China on Tuesday called for an international investigation of the Dalai Lama, who condemned the violence that has erupted from the Tibetan demonstrations. He threatened to resign as leader of Tibet's government in exile "if things become out of control."..
