Prime Minister to attend opening of Beijing Olympics
Greens and SDP disappointed with Vanhanen's decision
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Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) plans to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in early August, and will stay there for several days to watch some of the events.
Speaking on a Saturday morning television interview programme, the Prime Minister emphasised that he had been invited to attend by the Finnish Olympic Committee - that is, the Finnish Olympic team - and not by China.
"The basic policy has been that politics and sports should not be confused with each other. We deal with human rights discussions on a political level, keeping the games as games", Prime Minister Vanhanen said.
The leaders of Germany and Britain have said that they will boycott the opening of the Olympics because of China's human rights violations. Like Vanhanen, the prime ministers of Sweden and Norway plan to attend.
Vanhanen's announcement sparked criticism at a meeting of the Green League party council in Kemi.
"I am very disappointed in Matti Vanhanen's announcement. I would have hoped that he would have thought the matter through a bit further, and not set Finland's view so early", said Green League party secretary Panu Laturi.
Opposition Social Democratic Party secretary Maarit Feldt-Ranta also feels that Vanhanen's decision is "unfortunate".
"This would have been a good opportunity to engage in dialogue with China, but now came a situation in which the Prime Minister has placed blinders on and is visiting the Olympics a bit like a tourist", Feldt-Ranta said.
Earlier in the week the Left Alliance proposed that the Finnish state leadership not take part in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.
Some of the members of the party executive of the Swedish People's Party have also called for a boycott of the Olympics by the country's leaders.
The party's chairman, Stefan Wallin, who is also the Minister of Culture and Sport, said that he is sure that China's state leaders will manage without the presence of foreign politicians.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 21.4.2008 - TODAY |
 Prime Minister to attend opening of Beijing Olympics |
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