McMillan-Scott called the president's position unprincipled. 'There have been reports of massive deployments of trucks, thousands may have been arrested, there are large numbers of dead, but it's very difficult to sift through the reports,' he said. Sperling has been frantically communicating with people inside Tibet since the widespread demonstrations began March 10, the Tibetan National Day. The Tibetan government in exile claims that 103 people have died in the recent unrest, but that number could go much higher, Elliot Sperling, an Indiana University professor of Tibetan studies, said. Talk of an Olympic boycott has escalated after China's recent violent crackdown on demonstrators in Tibet. 'We are discussing on a daily basis with Chinese authorities, including discussing these issues, while strictly respecting the sovereignty of China in its affairs.' 'The IOC is engaged in what I call a 'silent diplomacy' with Chinese authorities since day one of the preparations of the games,' Rogge said. … At a minimum I think the EU should require that no elected official from the 37-member states attend the opening ceremony, but that is the minimum,' European Parliament vice president Edward McMillan-Scott said.Īlso today, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, who attended the ceremony in Greece, told The Associated Press that he is quietly talking with China on Tibet and other human rights issues before the Olympics. 'There will be a boycott of some sort, what kind of boycott is the question right now. In particular, several top European Union officials have been clamoring for action ranging from an EU no-show at the opening ceremonies to a full-scale walkout by European athletes. With less than five months to go before that torch arrives at the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympic Games, the B-word is being bandied about - B as in boycott, that is. The men, who were detained by police, were reportedly free press advocates from the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders. While Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Olympics organizing committee gave a speech, two men carrying black flags ran onto the stadium field.

Ma— - In Athens, Greece today, the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic torch was held, but not before being marred by protesters.

Boycott by Tom Caraccioli