7 April 2008

BEIJING - The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Belgium's Jacques Rogge, has expressed "serious concerns" about the Tibet protests against China and the Beijing Olympic Games and called for a peaceful solution to be found quickly.

Over the weekend, people protesting against China's policies on Tibet tried to disturb the Olympic torch relay in London.

After yet another incident involving the torch relay, police arrested 37 people.

East-Fleming Jacques Rogge, who had not made an official IOC statement on the matter so far following Beijing's calls not to mix politics with the upcoming summer games, came under mounting pressure to issue a statement.

"No momentum for a generalised boycott"
"I am very concerned with the international situation and what's happening in Tibet", Rogge (photo) told a meeting of the IOC and national Olympic committees in Beijing.

"The torch relay has been targeted. The International Olympic Committee has expressed its serious concern and calls for a rapid peaceful resolution in Tibet," Rogge said in a brief speech at the meetings' opening ceremony.

Rogge acknowledged that "some politicians have played with the idea of boycotts," but added, "as I speak today, however, there is no momentum for a generalised boycott."

[flandersenews.be / Expatica]