French minister: EU should consider boycott of Olympic opening ceremony

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PARIS - France's Foreign Minister says the European Union should consider boycotting the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics if violence continues in Tibet.

Bernard Kouchner was responding to calls for just such a boycott by the head of the European Parliament and the media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

Kouchner described their proposal today as "interesting."

Kouchner told reporters in Paris the idea should be considered by EU foreign ministers at a meeting this month.

He insisted that France had no plans to boycott the entire Olympic Games, saying a full boycott would not be "just."

© The Canadian Press, 2008