French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, prompting howls from human rights groups.

Human rights groups said Sarkozy's presence at the Games next month would be a slap in the face to dissidents fighting for greater democracy in China.

"This is a stab in the back to Chinese dissidents," Robert Menard, head of media watchdog Reporters without Borders, told i-Tele television channel.

"This is truly cowardly and is the opposite of what one expects from France."

US President George W. Bush said on Thursday he would go to the August 8 event, ignoring calls by activists for world leaders to boycott the Games to protest against China's human rights record.

Sarkozy said last year he wanted to go to the Games but hit the pause button this year after an outburst of unrest against Chinese rule in Tibet, which Beijing was swift to stamp out.

Human rights groups in France have helped lead the charge against Chinese authorities and brought chaos to the streets of Paris in April when the Olympic torch relay came to the city.

They reacted with dismay to reports of Sarkozy's decision.