topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2101.08 -0.10
DAX 6393.91 -0.11
IBEX 30 6707.3 0.10
CAC 40 3059.44 0.66
FTSE 100 5423.43 -0.26
AEX 295.73 -0.17
DJIA 12632 -0.50
Nasdaq 2893.76 -0.30
FTSE MIB 13362.07 0.38
TSX Composite 11343.05 -1.27
ASX 4214.7 -2.35
Hang seng 19259.83 -3.19
Straits Times 2831.15 -1.58
ISEQ 20 499.55 0.03
You are here: Home News Belgian News Protesters wants Olympic torch to stay out of Tibet

Belgian News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


10/04/2008Protesters wants Olympic torch to stay out of Tibet

Tibetan protestors said that the display of torch would be a provocation.

10 April 2008

BRUSSELS - Tibetan protesters said Wednesday they want the Olympic torch run to stay out of their Himalayan highlands.

More than 100 demonstrators gathered in front of Belgium's Olympic Committee headquarters demanding an end to the violent repression of the protests in Tibet over the past month.

Lhamo Svaluto, vice president of the Friends of Tibet group, said displaying the torch in Tibet would be ''a provocation''.

On Thursday, the European Parliament is expected to approve a resolution appealing for a joint position of the 27 EU nations on whether to boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

The Belgian government, meanwhile, said it wants to give China until the end of May before seeking a European Union consensus on whether to boycott the opening ceremony.

''Let us assess after 23 May and in relation to international developments what we have to do,'' Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht said after a cabinet meeting.

There have been calls to boycott the 8 August opening ceremonies of the Beijing Games because of China's handling of anti-government protests in Tibet.

De Gucht will travel to China on 23 May and wants a joint EU stance on the issue afterward. He urged Beijing to open a dialogue with the Dalai Lama and to seek a peaceful solution to the problem.

In Paris, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said EU politicians should stay away from the opening Olympic ceremony.

''We agreed that a purely promotional event such as the ceremonial opening of the Olympics in a country that has again shown to be a dictatorship should not be supported,'' Schwarzenberg told the Czech News Agency after talks with his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner.

[AP / Expatica]

We invite you to contribute to this article by sending related photos or videos. You can either send them to photos@expatica.com or add them to our newly-created flickr group at http://www.flickr.com/people/expatica/. All contributed material will be credited accordingly.


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Irish in Belgium

Sending kids to catholic bilingual school

American in Belgium

Meeting New People in Jurbise (Mons)

Housing in Belgium

Apartment in St Catherine for rent

Networking in Belgium

Looking for people to sell perfume and make-up.

Student forum Belgium

Online Accounting Degree

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Looking for work in Belgium

Looking for work in Belgium

This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes how to write a CV, application procedure, interview dos and don'ts, Belgian management culture.

Practical, easy-to-use, free and... in English

Practical, easy-to-use, free and... in English

Belgium’s first alternative directory assistance services - available through the shortcode 14-14 - can now be accessed on the internet.

Finding a rental home in Belgium

Finding a rental home in Belgium

Moving to Belgium presents a host of challenges to expats, not least of all finding the right home.

Learning to cope with life abroad

Learning to cope with life abroad

The psychological effects of global mobility can be physically painful.