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| Growing western boycott risks UN racism forum |
| 2009-04-20 |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] Italy and Germany were the last to confirm Sunday they will not participate in a major United Nations conference on racism that opens Monday in Geneva, which is being boycotted by the United States and Israel, as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad described Israel as the "flag bearer of racism." The growing western boycott of the Durban Review Conference comes amid fears that it will be the forum for a lambasting of Israel. Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden earlier said they were boycotting the event. The U.S. and Israel boycotted the original Durban conference in 2001 over an attempt to equate Zionism with racism. Belgium's foreign ministry said earlier Sunday that consultations were continuing with a view to getting as many EU member states as possible to participate. The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU presidency, called a meeting for Sunday evening to evaluate the bloc's stance on attending. France announced that it will attend. Britain, however, will send a delegation to the conference, albeit without a high-level official. The Vatican, which has observer status at the United Nations, confirmed Sunday that it would attend. Flag bearer of racism In the meantime President Ahmadinejad slammed arch-foe Israel as the "flag bearer of racism" before leaving for the U.N. conference on racism in Geneva, the state broadcaster reported. "The Zionist ideology and regime are the flag bearers of racism," he was quoted as saying. "They (the Zionists) plunder nations' wealth by dominating the world power centers and have created a condition that nothing can be said about this evil phenomenon whose effects loom over nations' lives," Ahmadinejad said. He said the Geneva conference was being held while "global Zionism employs all in its power to stifle innocent voices and cries against tyranny." Israel has branded the U.N. gathering a "tragic farce." Ahmadinejad's presence at the five-day meeting has sparked fears that it could end in acrimony, as did the previous racism conference eight years ago in Durban, South Africa. The Iranian president, who is so far the only prominent head of state due to attend the Durban Review Conference, has caused outrage by calling the Holocaust a "myth" and repeatedly saying Israel is doomed to disappear. Ahmadinejad is due to address the conference on Monday April 20, the anniversary of Hitler's birth. Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 21. Lacking diplomatic gravitas Human Rights Watch said the meeting in Geneva would lack needed diplomatic gravity without Washington's presence. A draft declaration prepared for the conference removed all references to Israel, the Middle East conflict and a call to bar "defamation of religion" -- an Arab-backed response to a 2006 controversy over Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that Western states see as a way to quash free expression. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #9 Why does the phrase "target-rich environment" keep popping up in my brain? |
| Posted by: mojo 2009-04-20 16:31 |
| #8 To survive the next 4 years, I may have to adopt a similar attitude toward my government, Jezbo. |
| Posted by: Zorba Craising6734 2009-04-20 13:28 |
| #7 Since the British government in no way represents the British people, their presence at the conference doesn't bother me; and they've left now anyway, thanks to Armageddonjihad's comments. |
| Posted by: Jezbo 2009-04-20 13:09 |
| #6 I see a list of trade boycott candidates. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-04-20 10:28 |
| #5 Kick the whole bunch out. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2009-04-20 09:00 |
| #4 Ahmadinejad's presence at the five-day meeting has sparked fears that it could end in acrimony, as did the previous racism conference eight years ago in Durban, South Africa. "Racist acrimony" in Durban? How fitting. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-04-20 08:22 |
| #3 Britain is the ONLY English-speaking country sending ANY official delegation Human shields. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-04-20 07:35 |
| #2 Add New Zealand as well. This means that Britain is the ONLY English-speaking country sending ANY official delegation. Which doesn't make my mother-country look too good, but I figure that British Rantburg participants are well aware of this. |
| Posted by: Free Radical 2009-04-20 07:13 |
| #1 "Risks"? Sort of like saying "boycotting hookers risks not catching a STD." |
| Posted by: PBMcL 2009-04-20 02:24 |