Madam, - Paul Doran (February 14th) applauds Stephen Speilberg's decision to quit as artistic adviser to the Beijing Olympics on account of China's policy on Darfur.
Speilberg may be a great film director, but in my opinion he is a poor diplomat. Any sensible person would see the wisdom of engaging socially and culturally with a growing world power which has in a short time lifted itself from its knees without any help from outside.
Why link the atrocities in Darfur with the world celebration of the Games? This runs counter to the Olympic spirit. We are all trying to promote a better world for ourselves and for posterity; using the Olympics as a political weapon is not the way to achieve it.
As one who worked in China, I know that few Chinese people claim their great country is perfect in terms of political reform or human rights - what country can make such a claim? But as the Chinese Premier stated on his visit here in September 2001, "only mutual understanding will lead to mutual respect and then further on to mutual benefit". - Yours, etc,
JOHN F. FALLON, Boyle, Co Roscommon.