The European Union should consider boycotting the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, unless violence is soon quelled in riotous Tibet, France's foreign minister said Tuesday.

Bernard Kouchner said calls for such a boycott by the head of the European parliament and the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders were "interesting," and should be taken up at a meeting of the EU's foreign ministers later this month.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama speaks to the media in Dharmsala, India, on Tuesday.
(Gurinder Osan/Associated Press)

Meanwhile, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state said that while the country is not making an immediate call to boycott the beginning of the Summer Games this August, the world is watching to see how China deals with protesters in Tibet.

"The Olympics is an opportunity for China to put its best face forward and show progress to the world" on human rights and other matters, Thomas Christensen said during a congressional advisory panel hearing Tuesday.

"To be successful, they're going to have to address some of these issues while the world is watching China. And the world will be watching China."

Premier Wen Jiabo insists Chinese security forces have showed restraint during violence that has killed at least 13 people, and that China won't allow anyone to use the Olympics to advance separatist or other causes.

Dalai Lama urges restraint

The Dalai Lama, leader of the Tibetan government in exile, said on Tuesday that he will step down as political leader and head of state if violence continues in his homeland.

Urging Tibetans to show restraint, he said that if things spiral out of control, his "only option is to completely resign."

Tibet's governor has said 13 people have been killed by mob violence in the main city of Lhasa. Tibetan exiles, however, pegged the death toll at 80 protesters, and blamed violence and a government crackdown.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference Tuesday, Wen accused the Dalai Lama and his followers of lies and hypocrisy, alleging the Chinese government has evidence that the recent violence in Tibet was premeditated by the "Dalai clique."

"By staging that incident they want to undermine the Beijing Olympics Games, and they also try to serve their hidden agenda by inciting such incidents," said Wen.

Wen's comments marked the first time a senior political leader talked about the rioting in Lhasa, and follow similar remarks made by Tibet's governor Champa Phuntsok on Monday.

Christensen said the U.S. has seen no evidence the Dalai Lama co-ordinated the violence in Tibet, and that China should work to resolve Tibet's "long-standing grievances" and hold direct talks with the Nobel Peace laureate.

For his part, the Dalai Lama suggested Tuesday that the violence in Tibet could have been incited by China to discredit his authority there.  

"It's possible some Chinese agents are involved there," he said. "Sometimes totalitarian regimes are very clever, so it is important to investigate."

The recent protests in Tibet mark some of the strongest anti-China sentiment in the territory in almost 20 years.

Wen said protesters killed bystanders, smashed public utilities and cars, and set fire to stores. However, statements by the Chinese government are difficult to verify because of China's tight control over information and a ban on trips by foreign reporters.

Rejects genocide claims

Some Hong Kong journalists  expelled from Tibet on the weekend said they were forced to delete video footage they took of the violence.

Wen rejected the Dalai Lama's claims that China is engaged in cultural genocide in Tibet, saying Chinese rule has brought great benefits.

"Tibet has moved forward and become more developed, and those claims that the Chinese government is engaged in cultural genocide are nothing but lies," he said.

The Lhasa protests, led by monks, began peacefully March 10 on the anniversary of a failed uprising in 1959 against Chinese rule.

Tibet had been effectively independent for decades before Communist Chinese troops entered in 1950.

With files from the Associated Press