FACTBOX: World leaders to attend Olympics opening in Beijing

(Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush has confirmed he will attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in China next month.

Foreign leaders' attendance at the August 8-24 Beijing Games has become a closely-watched issue.

Rights groups have called for leaders to boycott the Games to protest against China's crackdown on May riots in Tibet and its ties with the government in Sudan, accused of human rights abuses in Darfur.

Here is a preliminary list of world leaders who will attend the opening ceremonies:

- WILL ATTEND:

AUSTRALIA - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

CAMBODIA - King Norodom Sihamoni.

CROATIA - President Stjepan Mesic.

FINLAND - Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen.

JAPAN - Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

MAURITIUS - President Sir Anerood Jugnauth.

NETHERLANDS - Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.

SOUTH KOREA - President Lee Myung-bak.

SWITZERLAND - President Pascal Couchepin.

THAILAND - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, and Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

UNITED STATES - President George W. Bush.