Text tabled : RC-B6-0133/2008

  Zuzana Roithová (PPE-DE). – (CS) The European Parliament has once again proved itself to be a standard bearer for the protection of human rights. This is because we have achieved a broad political consensus on the condemnation of the human rights violations in China, which, contrary to all expectations, is toughening rather than relaxing the totalitarian regime in the run-up to the Olympics. The Olympic Committee is turning a blind eye by asserting that sports and human rights are unrelated. I am shocked by this pragmatic approach, which is far from the original ideals of the Olympic Games.

I call on all Members to appeal in writing to the prime ministers of their governments, as I did, to announce urgently a boycott of the opening ceremony unless China agrees to the dialogue with the Tibetan people and ratifies the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In my view, the fact that the heads of state of the Member States have not yet resolved to take a common approach can be considered at best misguided, at worst a failure.