Posted on 02/23/2008 5:02:19 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
Linking Darfur with Beijing Olympics "totally unreasonable"
A visiting senior Chinese diplomat said in London Thursday that it was "totally unreasonable" to link Sudan's Darfur issue with the Beijing Olympics in August.
It was also "dangerous" to politicize the Olympics in the long run, said Liu Guijin, special representative of the Chinese government to Darfur issue, said at a news conference held at the Chinese Embassy in London.
Liu told reporters that he was very surprised by Oscar-winning film director Steven Spielberg's resignation as an artistic adviser to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The Beijing Olympic organizing committee had sent Spielberg a recruitment letter, he had not signed it by the deadline of May 10 last year, said Liu, adding "theoretically he was not art director to the Beijing Olympic games."
"It was a great surprise for me that he should have resigned. There is no such question of resignation." Liu said.
Liu said that he met Spielberg in New York last year and they had an in-depth discussion on Darfur issue including China's stance on the issue.
"I told him at that time: Mr Spielberg, I know that you are no longer an art adviser to the Beijing Olympics but still I would like to discuss the question with you." said Liu, 61, a veteran diplomat, also a former ambassador to Zimbabwe and South Africa, and has been engaged in African affairs for more than 25 years.
Spielberg announced on Feb. 13 his decision to quit the upcoming Olympics as an artistic advisor, citing concerns over the violence in Darfur, which he linked to the Chinese government.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge shrugged off the controversy caused by Spielberg's decision to withdraw as an artistic consultant to the Beijing Olympics, stressing that IOC is "a sporting, not a political association."
Asked to comment on Spielberg's decision, U.S. President GeorgeW. Bush said that he would attend the 2008 Beijing Olympics as scheduled, adding that he had no reason to use the Olympics as a way to highlight political issues.
Ping!
Darfur should be hung on the necks of the UN. It is their problem. This is the kind of problem the UN is supposed to handle. If they can’t, the UN should be disbanded.
If the lefties in Hollywood wan’t to embarrass Beijing over
Darfur, let them.
The UN force is going nowhere over there and maybe this will be a learning experience for them and their idealistic notions of “peacekeeping” forces and such.
It takes a lot more than “meals on wheels” to deal with the nasties in Sudan.
Right It is rather useless these days
Then disband the UN.... It is a paper tiger.
While it is true that Liu Gui Jin is correct, it is equally true that Spielberg is irrelevant. He is simply cashing in another feel-good irrelevant comment, as does most of Hollywood, most of the time.
“He is simply cashing in another feel-good irrelevant comment, as does most of Hollywood, most of the time.”
And ruining the Olympics for everyone else. He signed on to help the Chinese make a good impression and now he’s welshing because Africa is yet again exploding in a genocidal frenzy and the Chinese are not running to him (Spielberg) to get advice.
No one should help Africa unless Africa is willing to help itself. It’s not the job of the Chinese to get Africa in order. He’s lucky he isn’t geting sued for breach of contract.
and probably never did....they just bought his name, like Hollywood does! Again, he's irrelevant! Or at least parenthetical!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.