WASHINGTON - U.S. President George W. Bush will attend
the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in China
next month, the White House said on Thursday.
 

Human rights activists have been calling for world leaders
to boycott the opening ceremonies to protest China's record on
civil rights.
 

China's crackdown on Tibet after deadly riots in March
sparked worldwide protests over Beijing's policies, including
demonstrations that disrupted the procession of the Olympic
torch.
 

"The president and Mrs. Bush will attend the Opening
Ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games on Aug. 8," White House
spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement announcing Bush's
trip to South Korea, Thailand and China next month.
 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said he will decide
next week whether to attend the opening of the Games, depending
on the outcome of talks between Beijing and envoys of the Dalai
Lama, Tibet's Buddhist leader.
 

Bush had earlier rejected calls to boycott the Olympics but
the White House previously steered clear of saying whether the
U.S. president would attend the opening ceremonies.
 

"He believes he's going to China to support first and
foremost our athletes. He sees this as a sporting competition,"
Perino said.
 

Bush will discuss human rights and religious freedoms with
Chinese President Hu Jintao when they meet in China in August
and on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit in Japan next
week, she said.