July 9 (Bloomberg) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he'll attend the Aug. 8 opening of the Beijing Olympics, retreating from comments that he may skip the ceremonies because of China's March crackdown in Tibet.

Sarkozy made the decision in the spirit of ``peace, friendship and brotherhood,'' he said in a written statement released after a meeting with China's President Hu Jintao at the Group of Eight summit in Toyako, Japan. Last week, he said he'd attend provided talks between the Chinese government and Dalai Lama progress.

Thousands of Chinese protested after Sarkozy criticized the Asian nation's human-rights record in Tibet. Internet postings in April and May called for a boycott of Paris-based Carrefour SA over its alleged support for Tibetan independence.

Sarkozy joins U.S. President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda among those attending the opening ceremony, in an indication that leaders of the world's richest countries see a boycott as a useless gesture. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on July 7 that he is also ``leaning toward going.''

Ninety percent of Chinese people don't want Sarkozy to come to the opening ceremony, according to an online survey on the Chinese Internet portal Sina.com. The president's attitude toward China is ``extremely unfriendly'' and unfitting of a leader, 89 percent of 211,703 people who responded on the site said.

March Protests

Carrefour denied providing financial support to the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, Xinhua News Agency reported April 23, citing an interview with the company's chairman.

China blames the Dalai Lama for instigating the March protests, the biggest in almost 20 years. The demonstrations started in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa and spread to neighboring provinces. China's subsequent crackdown, including verbal attacks on the Dalai Lama and a media blackout, provoked international criticism and sparked demonstrations during the Olympic torch relay in cities including Paris.

The French president told his Chinese counterpart that France has the ``will to continue to deepen its strategic partnership with China in all its dimensions,'' today's statement said.

`Serious Consequences'

Sarkozy may meet ``informally'' with the Dalai Lama in France in August, RTL radio reported this morning, citing the presidential palace.

China's ambassador in Paris, Kong Quan, said France faces ``serious consequences'' if the president meets the Buddhist leader during his Aug. 12-23 visit.

Contracts to build 56 high-speed trains and deliver Airbus SAS planes could be at risk, Le Figaro newspaper said. Kong said such a meeting would ``violate the non-intervention principle of countries in other's home affairs.''

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he'd summoned the ambassador for an explanation of the remarks.

``The Chinese ambassador's comments are difficult to accept and I will receive him to hear his position,'' Kouchner told reporters in Paris.

Kouchner, a former humanitarian aid worker and United Nations administrator of Kosovo, didn't say if he plans to meet with the Dalai Lamai. ``I've met him many times and I know him well,'' Kouchner said. ``But that was before I was foreign minister.''

Commitment `Lacking'

A two-day round of discussions last week between Chinese authorities and Tibetan representatives lacked ``serious and sincere commitment'' from Beijing, according to the Tibetan representatives who attended.

Not attending the games would be ``an affront to the Chinese people, which may make it more difficult to be able to speak frankly with the Chinese government,'' Bush said June 6.

Sarkozy, who holds the European Union's rotating presidency until the end of the year, consulted with his EU counterparts before making his decision, and they all supported it, Prime Minister Francois Fillon said today on RTL radio.

``It's a wise and responsible decision'' to go to Beijing, Fillon said. When asked if China was a dictatorship, he said ``China is not a democracy.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Francois de Beaupuy in Toyako, Japan, at fdebeaupuy@bloomberg.net; Dune Lawrence in Toyako, Japan at dlawrence6@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 9, 2008 11:02 EDT