Dutch join US and Australian boycott of UN "Durban" racist conference

Dutch Foreign Minister Boycotts Racism Conference
Dutch, following US, also announce boycott of UN racism conference
By MIKE CORDER Associated Press Writer
THE HAGUE, Netherlands April 19, 2009 (AP)

The Dutch foreign minister announced Sunday he is boycotting a U.N. anti-racism conference because some nations are using it as a platform to attack the West.

 

The Obama administration has also said it would not attend the meeting scheduled to start Monday in Geneva.

 

There are fears in the West that the meeting will be marred by heated debate over Israel that cast a shadow over the last such anti-racism conference eight years ago in the South African city of Durban, especially as Iran's hardline president --  who has called for Israel's destruction — is to attend.

 

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said in a strongly worded statement that a proposed closing declaration for the April 20-25 meeting was "unacceptable."

 

In recent weeks, Dutch diplomats had worked feverishly behind the scenes to try to salvage a final statement that would be acceptable to all nations, proposing a number of alternative texts.

 

But Verhagen described negotiations over the declaration as "grim" and said Western nations were subjected to political attacks.

 

"The anti-racism conference is too important to abuse for political goals and attacks on the West," he said. "The Netherlands will not be a part of it."

 

Verhagen said some countries were planning to use the summit to put religion above human rights and rein in freedom of speech.

 

The U.S. pulled out of the conference "with regret" Saturday citing similar reasons, saying Israel could be singled out for criticism.

 

The U.S. and Israel walked out of the Durban meeting in 2001.

 

Verhagen said his boycott would in no way diminish Dutch commitments to fight all kinds of racism and discrimination around the world.

 

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