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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Bush to attend Olympic ceremony | Bush to attend Olympic ceremony |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| US President George W Bush will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the White House says. | US President George W Bush will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the White House says. |
| Spokeswoman Dana Perino said Mr Bush will also visit South Korea and Thailand as part of the trip. | Spokeswoman Dana Perino said Mr Bush will also visit South Korea and Thailand as part of the trip. |
| Human rights groups and opposition politicians including presidential hopeful Barack Obama had urged Mr Bush to consider boycotting the ceremony. | Human rights groups and opposition politicians including presidential hopeful Barack Obama had urged Mr Bush to consider boycotting the ceremony. |
| Beijing's rights record has come under intense scrutiny since Tibetan protests were suppressed in March. | Beijing's rights record has come under intense scrutiny since Tibetan protests were suppressed in March. |
| The army and police used force to quell the biggest demonstration in Tibetan communities for a generation. | The army and police used force to quell the biggest demonstration in Tibetan communities for a generation. |
| Beijing says rioters killed about 20 people in the unrest, but exiled Tibetan groups accuse security forces of killing scores of peaceful protesters. | Beijing says rioters killed about 20 people in the unrest, but exiled Tibetan groups accuse security forces of killing scores of peaceful protesters. |
| Several world leaders said they were considering boycotting the 8 August opening ceremony over Beijing's actions. | |
| While it was understood that Mr Bush would go to the Games, no firm plans for the opening had been announced. | |
| The president has always maintained that the Olympics are a sporting spectacle and should not be politicised. | |
| Mr Bush and his wife, Laura, will also meet Chinese President Hu Jintao as part of their visit to China, the White House said. |