Rogge Warns West To Tone It Down As Beijing Agrees To Talks

Rogge Feels Olympics Will Have Good Influence On Social Evolution In China

IOC President Jacques Rogge has warned that the west "must stop hectoring China over human rights" even as Beijing on Friday "showed the first signs of bowing to international protests by saying it would hold talks with aides to the Dalai Lama," according to Blitz & McGregor of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Rogge: "You don't obtain anything in China with a loud voice." Rogge added this was a "big mistake of people in the west." Rogge's comments came ahead of Beijing's announcement that it would resume talks with Dalai Lama representatives, whom the Chinese government "has blamed for triggering last month's violent protests in Tibet." Rogge: "The Games we believe, overtime, will have a good influence on social evolution in China, and the Chinese admit it themselves." Rogge, who questioned the media attention surrounding the protests, said, "I wonder if Tibet would be front page today were it not that the Games are being organised in Beijing. It would probably be page 4 or 5." Rogge said that China had "given ground to the IOC by allowing foreign media access," which he expected to extend beyond '08, and "believed would prove to be a key factor in its social evolution." Rogge: "We have been able to achieve something. I am not quite sure that heads of government have achieved much more than we have done" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/26).

AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Oster, Wonacott & Areddy reported China's "surprise offer" to meet with Dalai Lama reps "raises new hopes for detente between the bitter adversaries, but also poses a challenge for leaders on both sides: How to placate younger generations convinced that there's no room for compromise." The announcement of the meetings "comes as China is working to avoid letting international criticism over its handling of Tibet interfere" with this summer's Beijing Games (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/26).