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Clouds seem to be looming large over the Beijing Olympics. After Germany, France has now issued an ultimatum to China; French President Nicholas Sarkozy minced no words saying that France would pull out of the Olympics if no dialogue was initiated on Tibet."All options (of a boycott) are open but I appeal to the Chinese Government to appeal to a sense of responsibility," said Sarkozy on Tuesday (March 25). Sarkozy said he had, as the head of state, "expressed to President (Hu) Jintao, my strong concern and asked him to show a sense of responsibility and the opening of dialogue. I have an envoy maintaining talks with the authorities closest to the Dalai Lama and with what comes out of this, I want dialogue to start. I will adapt my answer according to the responses given by the Chinese authorities. I would like things to improve." The French ultimatum comes after China refused to relent, turning down all appeals for dialogue with the Dalai Lama and vowing to crush anti-China forces in Tibet in the fiercest and bloodiest crackdown seen in the recent past.Sarkozy spoke shortly after a media rights group, who staged a brief protest at the Olympic torch-lighting ceremony in Greece on Monday (March 24), urged him to threaten to boycott the Games' opening ceremony because of Tibet. In defence, Beijing issued a telling statement: "Competent authorities in countries where the Olympic torch will pass through have an obligation to ensure that it is smooth." China's statement stems from the increasing international pressure on it to show transparency over the handling of the issue.A few days ago the German foreign minister came down hard against China saying it would not find it easy to sweep anything under the rug with things being "topsy-turvy" in its backyard."You can't just host glamorous events for television while things are going topsy-turvy in your own backyard. The host has to allow thousands of journalists into the country - you won't be able to sweep anything under the rug," said Frank-Walter Steinmeier.First Germany, now France - with Tibet becoming a global flashpoint, clouds of uncertainty loom over the Beijing Olympics, something that has occurred only twice before. In 1980 superpower sabre-rattling marred the 1980 Moscow Olympics as western countries, led by the United States shunned the Games in protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.After the Moscow debacle, the Soviets and most East Bloc countries boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 and both times it was sport and sportsmen who suffered.Will China allow the Beijing Olympics to be the next casualty?