U.N. switches to Geneva for racism talks

By mailto:bpisik@washingtontimes.com Betsy Pisik
May 27, 2008 
The Washington Times
Original Source: http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/FOREIGN/442003047/1003&template=nextpage

NEW YORK — The United Nations yesterday moved the venue of its second anti-racism conference from Durban, South Africa, to Geneva in an attempt to dampen public expressions of hatred that marred the first event, which ended days before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

South Africa originally offered to host the conference, slated for April, but the prospect of Durban II worried U.N. officials and drew threats of a boycott from the United States and several European nations.

The United Nations announced late yesterday that the conference would be held at its European headquarters.

The purpose ... is to review progress and assess implementation, at national, regional and international levels, of the declaration and plan of action adopted at the September 2001 event in Durban, the United Nations said in a statement.

Tad Stanke, an official at Human Rights First, called the change of venue a positive development to avoid a repeat of 2001, given that the U.N. venue provides an infrastructure and rules to keep the discussions on a more narrow path.

Mr. Stanke, whose organization follows human rights issues at the United Nations, said the conference would have value if the participants adhere to the agenda of determining how well countries are implementing their obligations to root out racism and xenophobia.

The 2001 conference disintegrated into a raucous anti-Israel event with multiple protests by private advocacy groups that were permitted to attend.

Colin L. Powell, secretary of state at the time, withdrew the U.S. delegation four days into the conference, saying constructive discussion was impossible in such a hate-filled atmosphere. The Israeli government also yanked its delegation.

The steering group for the upcoming conference is largely composed of the same countries that sit on the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Libya, which has chaired discussions, also was considered as a host for the conference.

The Bush administration has been cool to the prospect of a second conference and has left the decision of U.S. participation to the next president.

European nations and Israel are wary, and the Canadian government already has announced it will boycott.

Mr. Stanke said a lot of the work needs to be done well in advance, and he urged the organizers to clearly articulate what kinds of discussions they will and will not tolerate.

Anne Bayefsky, a vocal critic of what she calls anti-Israel and anti-Semitic bias in U.N. human rights bodies, said she is disappointed that the conference will be held under the U.N. imprimatur.

My personal view that the lead taken by Canada, the United States and Israel is the right move, said Ms. Bayefsky, who edits a newsletter called Eye on the U.N.

The French government, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union starting next week, has said it will host the required regional preparatory meetings for the conference.