November 4, 2008
Unofficial Transcript of EYEontheUN
Statement of the United Kingdom on the Durban Review Conference

Rebecca Sagar, United Kingdom

Thank you very much Mr. Chair. The UK fully supports the statement delivered by France on behalf of  the EU on Agenda Item 62a and we would like to add the following comments in our national capacity. The UK would also like to thank the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of  South-Africa to the UN office in Geneva for his statement this morning and his report updating us on the Preparatory  Committee for the Durban Review conference. The UK wants the Durban Review conference to contribute to the global fight against racism facing the world today. The UK has worked tirelessly against racism and discrimination for many years and has continued to do so since the 2001 conference. We are proud of our efforts but not complacent. Through the Review Conference we would hope to share our experiences of our work to implement the 2001 Durban Declaration and Program of  Action with partners, and to learn from partners’ experiences in doing the same. The recent second Substantive Preparatory Committee meeting in Geneva offered delegations the opportunity to present their regional contributions for the outcome document. We have already registered a number of  concerns with elements of the resulting compilation text prepared by the Preparatory Committee. The UK offers its support to the Chair of the Preparatory Committee in the challenging task ahead in transforming this compilation into an outcome that can deliver effective results in the fight against racism.  It will not be easy. On a number of occasions the UK has placed on public record both its aspirations for, and its concerns with, the Durban process. The UK will not accept any attempt to weaken the international framework on human rights particularly freedom of expression.  The UK has a long tradition of promoting and protecting freedom of expression. Individuals are entitled to hold and express views which may be contrary to those of others, as long as they do not insight violence or hatred. Where the intention is to insight violence or hatred then our laws must offer sufficient protection against it. But we strongly believe that a democratic society that promotes freedom of expression and the rule of law will always be better able to fight society’s ills, then one where individuals are unable to express their thoughts and opinions freely. In order to maintain and build upon existing consensus we must focus on the racism and discrimination that is occurring now in all parts of the world. This process cannot succeed with a skewed focus, be it against a particular region or specific countries. We want the Review conference to address anti-Semitism and Holocaust remembrance. The UK will find unacceptable any attempt to trivialize or deny the Holocaust, or a repeat of the anti-Semitism that surrounded the 2001 conference. We will not renegotiate agreements on the need to fight anti-Semitism. Equally our focus cannot concentrate on certain groups to the exclusion of others. While we may identify specific forms of racism that require specific action to address them, we cannot ignore the plight of some victims of discrimination because it is politically convenient. Here I refer specifically to the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual people. It is imperative that the international community recognizes and agrees to address the inequality faced by this group in many parts of the world, as part of the multiple forms of discrimination that the 2001 conference sought to address. We want the Durban Review Conference to make a strong contribution to the global fight against racism and discrimination. This should include a greater focus on the role that human rights can play in combating these phenomena. It is essential that this process mobilize the UN human rights architecture to support effective and early national and international action to prevent and stop genocide and conflict born of  racism and discrimination. It is clear that  the negotiations over the next weeks and months will be extremely difficult indeed for all concerned. We have put our faith in the good offices of the Chair of the Preparatory Committee to ensure that they are conducted efficiently and transparently at all times. It is extremely important that the process remains an inclusive one, with NGOs and civil society fully participating and integrated into proceedings. We will continue to argue for the removal of all the elements of the current compilation texts that are unacceptable to us and for the inclusion of language which will promote the implementation of the 2001 agreement. We believe that an outcome within these parameters would provide a solid foundation for all states to take forward their work in the fight against racism, and that is the only option Mr. Chairman, if we are to deliver a successful review conference. Thank you.