Prince Charles to boycott Beijing Games over Tibet

LONDON: Britain's Prince Charles would stay away from the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games later this year in an apparent protest against China's human rights record in Tibet, a campaign group said on Monday.
 
The Free Tibet campaign group said it had urged Prince Charles, 59, not to attend the games and received a letter confirming that the heir to the British throne would not be going to Beijing for the ceremony.
 
According to the campaign group, a letter from Prince Charles' private secretary said, "As you know, His Royal Highness has long taken a close interest in Tibet and indeed has been pleased to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on several occasions."

"You asked if the Prince of Wales would be attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. His Royal Highness will not be attending the ceremony."

A spokesman for Free Tibet welcomed the decision and called on other high-profile public figures and politicians to follow suit.
 
A spokeswoman for Prince Charles said, "We would not be able discuss any private correspondence."