Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2009/02/117401.htm http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2009/02/117401.htm
Date: February 17, 2009

Gordon Duguid
Acting Deputy Department Spokesman
Daily Press Briefing
February 17, 2009


…..


QUESTION: In terms of policy shifts – 

MR. DUGUID: Yes.

QUESTION: -- there seems to have been a shift on attending the Durban conference or the negotiations for the Durban conference. Maybe if you could just illuminate as to why you’ve had that policy shift from the previous administration.

MR. DUGUID: The delegation that we’ve sent to Durban is there in order to try and stop the declaration coming out of that conference from being a document that is not helpful to ending racism around the world. We are there looking at the process. As you know, it’s been some time since we engaged. If you are not engaged, you don’t have a voice. We wanted to put forward our views and see if there was some way that we could help make the document a better document than it appears that it’s going to be. That does not mean, however, that we will take part in future meetings, or indeed, in the conference itself. We’re going to see where our efforts go in Durban. 

QUESTION: So what do you want out of the document? 

MR. DUGUID: We’d like to see something balanced that addresses racism around the globe and tries to provide a way forward on resolving those issues. 

QUESTION: So what don’t you like?

MR. DUGUID: I will leave it for our – 

QUESTION: Israel and – 

MR. DUGUID: I will leave it for our team on the ground to better describe the U.S. opinion on the current paper. It is a lengthy draft, and I haven’t had time to review all of it. 

QUESTION: Can you talk about who is in the delegation, who’s leading the delegation? 

MR. DUGUID: I can only – I’ll have to take the question, because I know that the delegation left on Saturday. I didn’t get a full readout of who was in the delegation. 

Okay. Thank you. 

(The briefing was concluded at 11:29 a.m.)