[daveypodmore]

Its just been announced Gordon Brown wont be at the opening ceremony but will be at the closing. They are saying its because they dont want tax payers footing the bill for both. Its an interesting development.

[FYI]

Expect tit-for-tat in London in 2012 from the Chinese.

[Tatsh]

FYI, on Apr 9 2008, 02:12 PM, said:

Expect tit-for-tat in London in 2012 from the Chinese.

+1


chinese: eye for eye, tooth for tooth

[Stu]

Gordon Brown never intended going to the Opening Ceremony - he always intended going to the Closing Ceremony. There won't be tit-for-tat from the Chinese. Not every head of state has ever attended an Olympics - why is it such big news that they aren't attending Beijing. Tony Blair only attended Athens 2004 because of the London 2012 campaign - he didn't attend Sydney 2000 and John Major didn't attend Atlanta 1996. George Bush didn't attend Athens in 2004 - the only reason he would attend Beijing is to help Chicago as Blair did London.

[RobH]

The plan was always Tessa Jowell at the Opening Ceremony and Gorden Brown at the Closing Ceremony i.e. when the handover ceremony takes place. For better or for worse, this has nothing to do with what's been going on in the last week.

[daveypodmore]

Im not convinced. Just my opinion but if there had been no trouble I think he would have gone to both. I just find it odd announcing it now after all the critisism of him welcoming the torch on Sunday, very timely. Think of all those expenses he could have claimed as well. Still if thats what they are saying it must be true, politicians are usually very honest people, arnt they.

[arwebb]

Oh how cynical you are, Davey.

It's an issue in the sense that some political parties have sought to make capital out of it. But, as has been said, no commitment was ever made for Brown to go to the opening ceremony so, though it is an issue, it's not that much of one.

[FYI]

I agree with Davey. This is China's moment to shine & they don't want anything to go wrong or be embarassed &/or anyone to embarass them. They're not gonna forget which countries might embarass them during these Games & will pay them back in one way or another, that being political, economical or otherwise. The Chinese have a lot of cards to play with nowadays & they'll them deal them out in the appropiate fashion as they would see it.

[Olympian2004]

Stu, on Apr 9 2008, 09:32 PM, said:

Gordon Brown never intended going to the Opening Ceremony - he always intended going to the Closing Ceremony. There won't be tit-for-tat from the Chinese. Not every head of state has ever attended an Olympics - why is it such big news that they aren't attending Beijing. Tony Blair only attended Athens 2004 because of the London 2012 campaign - he didn't attend Sydney 2000 and John Major didn't attend Atlanta 1996. George Bush didn't attend Athens in 2004 - the only reason he would attend Beijing is to help Chicago as Blair did London.

Just to throw in my two pennies worth: The German presidents rarely go to Olympic ceremonies as well. The only occasions (except Munich 1972, of course) were Richard von Weizsäcker's visit to Barcelona's opening ceremony in 1992 and Horst Köhler's visit to Athens' OC in 2004.

For this year, Köhler never planned to attend one of Beijing's ceremonies. And so did chancellor Angela Merkel.

[baron-pierreIV]

Olympian2004, on Apr 9 2008, 09:42 PM, said:

The only occasions (except Munich 1972, of course) were Richard von Weizsäcker's visit to Barcelona's opening ceremony in 1992 and Horst Köhler's visit to Athens' OC in 2004.

Barcelona's Opening was probably the most Head-of-state heavy Opening because, it was Spain's year to shine in the int'l spotlight; so they had just finished a whole high-powered Hispano-Latino American lovefest in Madrid and party-goer J.C. just moved the party, hors d'oevures and heads of state and all, to old Barcelona!!

Fidel was in attendance at the Opening; as was I. No mere coincidence.

This post has been edited by baron-pierreIV: 09 April 2008 - 06:20 PM