South China Morning Post: EU Parliament opposes Games bid



EU Parliament opposes Games bid
Saturday, July 7, 2001 Agencies The European Parliament has joined the chorus of voices protesting against Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. At a plenary session on Thursday, the Parliament said it would be inappropriate to stage the world's greatest sports event in Beijing because China "openly violates human, civil and political rights". It also said the Government's alleged repression of Tibetans and Uygurs "makes China's bid to organise the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing inappropriate". Members of the Parliament have called upon the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to re-examine China's bid file, which they say was presented while the Chinese authorities "radically modified their human and civil rights policies". The Parliament also urged the IOC to "study in depth the bid's environmental implications . . . and the social repercussions in the Beijing area". Separately, Taiwan Vice-President Annette Lu Hsiu-lian has reiterated her support for Beijing's Olympic bid. During a speech on Thursday to Harvard University alumni in Taipei, Ms Lu said Taiwan could share the honour if Beijing won. "Sincerely, we wish and hope that China would have the honour to earn the auspicious Olympic Games in 2008 and we will share with their victory," said Ms Lu, who studied law at Harvard in the 1970s.

EU Parliament opposes Games bid

Saturday, July 7, 2001

Agencies

The European Parliament has joined the chorus of voices protesting against Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

At a plenary session on Thursday, the Parliament said it would be inappropriate to stage the world's greatest sports event in Beijing because China "openly violates human, civil and political rights".

It also said the Government's alleged repression of Tibetans and Uygurs "makes China's bid to organise the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing inappropriate".

Members of the Parliament have called upon the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to re-examine China's bid file, which they say was presented while the Chinese authorities "radically modified their human and civil rights policies".

The Parliament also urged the IOC to "study in depth the bid's environmental implications . . . and the social repercussions in the Beijing area".

Separately, Taiwan Vice-President Annette Lu Hsiu-lian has reiterated her support for Beijing's Olympic bid.

During a speech on Thursday to Harvard University alumni in Taipei, Ms Lu said Taiwan could share the honour if Beijing won.

"Sincerely, we wish and hope that China would have the honour to earn the auspicious Olympic Games in 2008 and we will share with their victory," said Ms Lu, who studied law at Harvard in the 1970s.