Current Declaration's Language Led to U.S. Boycott

By Jane Morse

U.S. Applauds U.N. Conference Efforts to Re-focus on Racism

Washington - While the United States is boycotting the Durban Review Conference, it praised the efforts of many countries to re-focus the conference squarely on racism and discrimination.

The United Nations Durban Review Conference is being held April 20-24 in Geneva. Also known as the World Conference Against Racism, its purpose is to monitor and review the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA,) drafted during the World Conference Against Racism that took place in Durban, South Africa, in 2001.

But the United States, along with nine other countries, decided not to participate in the conference because the text of the Durban Declaration still contains language the United States long has said it is unable to support, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of State. Anti-Israel and anti-free speech language in the declaration led to the U.S. delegation's decision not to participate.

"The DDPA singles out one particular conflict and prejudges key issues that can only be resolved in negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians," Robert Wood, State Department acting spokesman, said April 18. "The United States also has serious concerns with relatively new additions to the text regarding 'incitement' that run counter to the U.S. commitment to unfettered free speech."

Wood acknowledged that while the current declaration is significantly improved compared with prior versions, it seemed that concerns of the United States would not be addressed or adopted during the conference.

Speaking at an April 19 press conference, President Obama said the United States would be happy to work with the Durban Conference "if we can move forward on some of these issues."

"Hopefully some concrete steps come out of the conference that we can partner with other countries on to actually reduce discrimination around the globe. But this wasn't an opportunity to do it," Obama said.

UNITED STATES COMMITTED TO FIGHTING RACISM

"The United States is profoundly committed to ending racism and racial discrimination," Wood said. The United States "remains fully committed to upholding the human rights of all individuals and to fighting racial discrimination of every form in every context," he added.

The United States has had its own struggles with racial discrimination, both Wood and Obama said. "This abiding commitment to the fight against racism and all forms of discrimination arises from the most painful pages of our history, and the most cherished values of our nation," Wood said.

Wood added that the United States will continue to work tirelessly with all United Nations organizations and with all nations to combat bigotry and end discrimination.

Evidence of this resolve is the Obama administration's recent announcement that it intends to seek a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council and greater involvement in the United Nations in general.

The United States, Obama said April 19, is pursuing a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council "because even though up until this point we haven't been very pleased with how it's operated, we think that it's worthwhile for us to go in there and try to make it into a constructive organization because of the extraordinary range of human rights violations that exist around the world. And I think America should be a leader; we can't opt out of those discussions."

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a statement released by the State Department March 31, said: "The United States helped to found the United Nations and retains a vital stake in advancing that organization's genuine commitment to the human rights values that we share with other member nations. We believe every nation must live by and help shape global rules that ensure people enjoy the right to live freely and participate fully in their societies."

See also "Obama Administration Seeks Greater Involvement with U.N ( http://www.america.gov/st/democracyhr-english/2009/April/20090414111055ajesrom0.7777979.html?CP.rss=true )."

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)