President Nicolas Sarkozy could boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics unless China releases political prisoners and opens a dialogue with the Dalai Lama, one of his Cabinet ministers was quoted as saying Saturday.
In an interview with Le Monde, Human Rights Minister Rama Yade raised concerns about China's human rights record and set out a list of conditions needed if Sarkozy is to take part in the Aug. 8 ceremony, the newspaper said.
"Without human rights, China will never be a true world power," Yade was quoted as saying. She said Sarkozy planned to consult his European Union partners and would make his decision based on how the situation evolves.
Violent protests in Tibet, the most serious challenge in almost two decades to China's rule in the region, have forced France, other governments and human rights campaigners to re-examine their approach to the Aug. 8-24 games.
Sarkozy spokesman Frank Louvrier declined to comment on Yade's interview. The president has said himself that he cannot rule out the possibility he might boycott the opening ceremony if China continues its crackdown in Tibet. Asked last month about his plans, Sarkozy said he could "not close the door to any possibility."
Outspoken Yade has sometimes taken positions that are tougher than those of the rest of Sarkozy's government. A spokeswoman for the minister said she had no information on whether Yade had cleared her comments with Sarkozy's office before speaking to Le Monde. Prime Minister Francois Fillon, traveling in the city of Le Mans, declined to comment, saying Le Monde had not reached the region he was visiting.
Yade was quoted as telling Le Monde: "We don't want to give lessons, but we are asking China to respect its commitments."
She listed conditions for Sarkozy to attend the opening ceremony: "an end to violence against the population and the liberation of political prisoners; light shed on the events in Tibet; and the opening of a dialogue with the Dalai Lama."
Yade was quoted as saying France was pressing for the immediate release of Chinese civil rights activist Hu Jia, sentenced Thursday to 3 1/2 years in prison on subversion charges. She called the conviction "a real disappointment" for France.
Protests in Tibet last month also spread to other parts of China. The Chinese government said 22 people died in the violence and crackdown, but Tibetan exiles claim about 140 people were killed. Beijing has accused Dalai Lama supporters of orchestrating the violence, a charge the spiritual leader has repeatedly denied.
The violence has cast a spotlight on China's human rights record in the Himalayan region, and shattered the Chinese government's hopes for a peaceful run-up to the Olympics.
On Friday, French athletes said they want to wear a badge marked "For a better world" at the Olympics, to show support for human rights in the wake of China's crackdown in Tibet. The athletes said they plan to lobby the International Olympic Committee for permission to wear the badge.
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