London ? British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will skip the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

He became the second major world leader after German Chancellor Angela Merkel to decide to stay away from the opening ceremonies. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said last month that he was debating not attending the opening ceremony.

Asked whether President Bush would go to the opening portion of the Olympics, White House press secretary Dana Perino demurred, citing the fluid nature of a foreign trip.

London is hosting the next Olympics in 2012, and Brown is expected to attend closing ceremonies.