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1. US Reconsiders Durban II Boycott
by Hana Levi Julian
The United States is reconsidering its boycott of the upcoming United Nations “Durban II” racism conference.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood explained in an announcement Monday, “The United States welcomes the recent progress that has been made through the efforts of many delegations, governments and officials in the formulation of the draft outcome document for the Durban Review Conference on April 20.”
Wood went on to explain that the previous draft contained “objectionable language” in several areas, which had led the U.S. to announce it would not attend the conference.
“Since then, substantial improvements have been made,” said Wood, “including shortening the document, removing all language that singled out any one country or conflict, and removing language that embraced the concept of ‘defamation of religion’ and that demanded reparations for slavery.”
However, it is still not clear whether or not the U.S. intends to go. Wood told reporters there were a number of issues that had yet to be resolved before the Obama administration could agree to support the conference.
The text must again be shortened, he said, and “not reaffirm in toto the flawed 2001 Durban Declaration and Program of Action (DDPA).” He also targeted “restrictions on freedom of expression that could result from some of the document’s language related to ‘incitement’ to religious hatred – a concept that the United States believes should be narrow and clearly defined and made consistent with human rights obligations ensuring freedom of expression.”
Israel and worldwide Jewish groups have opposed the conference due to the anti-Israel statements issued at the previous gathering. The U.S. had announced on February 27 that it would not attend the conference unless all references to Israel and racism were dropped from its final document.
“We hope that these remaining concerns will be addressed so that the United States can reengage the conference process,” Wood said on Monday.
Ahmadinejad to Attend Durban II
The U.S. announcement comes against the backdrop of a general shift in its policy on dealing with Iran, which plans to attend the Durban II conference.
The Obama administration has said it will open negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear development program, within the context of talks with the Group of Six world powers, including the U.S. , Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.
The U.S. also decided not to set a time limit within which the talks must either bear fruit or be deemed useless. In addition, both the U.S. and European nations are preparing proposals to drop the American demand that Iran shut down its nuclear facilities during the negotiations, said sources quoted in The New York Times.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced on Monday that he personally would attend the gathering, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
The first World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance was held in Durban, South Africa in 2001. According to IRNA, the U.N. conference at the time “strongly condemned the racist policies of the Zionist regime.”
Canada was the first Western nation to announce it would boycott the conference. Israel and Italy have also announced they will not attend. Australia has said it is “seriously considering” boycotting the gathering as well, due to language which is perceived as anti-Semitic and singles out the Jewish State.
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by Hana Levi Julian
The United States is reconsidering its boycott of the upcoming United Nations “Durban II” racism conference.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood explained in an announcement Monday, “The United States welcomes the recent progress that has been made through the efforts of many delegations, governments and officials in the formulation of the draft outcome document for the Durban Review Conference on April 20.”
Wood went on to explain that the previous draft contained “objectionable language” in several areas, which had led the U.S. to announce it would not attend the conference.
“Since then, substantial improvements have been made,” said Wood, “including shortening the document, removing all language that singled out any one country or conflict, and removing language that embraced the concept of ‘defamation of religion’ and that demanded reparations for slavery.”
However, it is still not clear whether or not the U.S. intends to go. Wood told reporters there were a number of issues that had yet to be resolved before the Obama administration could agree to support the conference.
The text must again be shortened, he said, and “not reaffirm in toto the flawed 2001 Durban Declaration and Program of Action (DDPA).” He also targeted “restrictions on freedom of expression that could result from some of the document’s language related to ‘incitement’ to religious hatred – a concept that the United States believes should be narrow and clearly defined and made consistent with human rights obligations ensuring freedom of expression.”
Israel and worldwide Jewish groups have opposed the conference due to the anti-Israel statements issued at the previous gathering. The U.S. had announced on February 27 that it would not attend the conference unless all references to Israel and racism were dropped from its final document.
“We hope that these remaining concerns will be addressed so that the United States can reengage the conference process,” Wood said on Monday.
Ahmadinejad to Attend Durban II
The U.S. announcement comes against the backdrop of a general shift in its policy on dealing with Iran, which plans to attend the Durban II conference.
The Obama administration has said it will open negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear development program, within the context of talks with the Group of Six world powers, including the U.S. , Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.
The U.S. also decided not to set a time limit within which the talks must either bear fruit or be deemed useless. In addition, both the U.S. and European nations are preparing proposals to drop the American demand that Iran shut down its nuclear facilities during the negotiations, said sources quoted in The New York Times.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced on Monday that he personally would attend the gathering, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
The first World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance was held in Durban, South Africa in 2001. According to IRNA, the U.N. conference at the time “strongly condemned the racist policies of the Zionist regime.”
Canada was the first Western nation to announce it would boycott the conference. Israel and Italy have also announced they will not attend. Australia has said it is “seriously considering” boycotting the gathering as well, due to language which is perceived as anti-Semitic and singles out the Jewish State.
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