(AFP) – Aug 6, 2008

PARIS (AFP) — President Nicolas Sarkozy praised China's preparations for the Olympic Games on Wednesday as his office made clear he will not see the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan leader in exile visits France.

"To prepare for the Olympic Games, China has given its best," Sarkozy told China's Xinhua news agency. "If organising the Games was a sport, I am sure you would agree with me that China deserves a gold medal."

Sarkozy made his comments on the eve of his departure for Beijing for Friday's gala opening of the Olympic Games, seeking to mend ties with China frayed by an initial threat to boycott the ceremony.

In his interview with Xinhua, China's official news agency, of which the Elysee Palace issued a two-page transcript, Sarkozy hailed relations between China and France.

"To this China which improves every day, I address a warm message of friendship; a historic, unfailing and immovable friendship, which links the French people to the Chinese people," he said.

China was upset when the chaotic Olympic torch relay through Paris in April was disrupted by human rights protesters angry at Beijing's crackdown on violent unrest in Tibet.

The Paris demonstrations sparked anti-French protests in China.

Separately, Sarkozy's office announced Wednesday that he would not be meeting with the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan spiritual leader visits France next week.

"The president of the republic understands the reasons that led the Dalai Lama, considering the present circumstances, not to request a meeting during his stay in France in August," the Elysee said in a statement.

The Dalai Lama's office earlier quashed speculation he would hold talks with the French president during the August 11-23 visit, saying: "No such meeting is planned and we have not asked for such a meeting."

The Elysee added that Sarkozy's wife, model-turned-singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy would take part in a ceremony chaired by the Dalai Lama on August 22. Under French law, the first lady has no official state function.

Sarkozy had threatened to stay away from the opening ceremony following a Chinese crackdown on unrest in Tibet in March, finally announcing last month he would attend in view of progress made in talks between China and the Dalai Lama's representatives.

But tensions have continued to simmer over the possibility Sarkozy might meet the Dalai Lama during his French visit, which was scheduled before the incidents in Tibet.

China's ambassador to France, Kong Quan, last month warned of "serious consequences" for Franco-Chinese relations if Sarkozy met the Dalai Lama. Sarkozy responded that it was not up to China to decide his schedule.

In his interview with Xinhua, Sarkozy alluded to the recent tensions.

"Some people in our two countries wondered recently about the reality and sense of this friendship," according to the transcript of the interview released by the Elysee Palace in Paris

"My presence in Beijing will confirm it once more: the friendship between France and China is a fundamental axis of France's foreign policy," he said.

"It answers the profound aspirations of our two peoples, it is indispensable to the construction of a fairer, more sure and more harmonious world order."

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