French President Sarkozy says he'll attend Olympics opener

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
French President Nicolas Sarkozy will attend the Beijing Olympics' opening ceremony next month, his office said Wednesday, ending his threat to boycott the event in an apparent attempt to soothe Chinese irritation over French support of Tibet. Sarkozy was the first world leader to raise the possibility of skipping the festivities to protest China's violent crackdown in Tibet after riots and protests there in March. A snub would have been a slap in the face to China's communist leadership, eager to use the Games to show off the country's power and clout. After keeping the threat alive for months, Sarkozy on Wednesday reassured Chinese President Hu Jintao that he would attend the Aug. 8 ceremony, his office said. The two men spoke on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit of industrialized powers in Japan.