The State Department confirms that the US won’t send representatives to the UN’s “Durban II” conference on racism next week in Geneva because of “objectionable” language in the meeting’s final document.
Besides the US, countries now intending to boycott the conference include Israel, Canada, Italy and Sweden. I hope there will be others– especially since the whole affair has been rendered even more farcical by the announcement that Iran’s Holocaust-denying President Ahmadinejad will participate.
(Hat tip: Z Word)
Update: Australia and the Netherlands have joined the boycott.
Further update: Britain will participate in the conference.
Additional updates: In a symbolically important move, which I hope is not lost on other countries, Germany has decided to boycott.
To clarify: Although Sweden has decided not to send ministerial officials to the conference, “Civil servants might still participate, depending on how the discussions unfold.”
The UK’s Jewish Human Rights Coalition reports:
The Foreign Secretary [David Miliband] assured [Jewish] communal representatives that as a result of their previous representations the UK had decided not to send a ministerial level representative, and had urged EU partners to act in a similar manner. He also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to withdraw its delegation if red lines are crossed, and confirmed that any unacceptable language from the Iranian leader would meet with a firm response.
Another update: New Zealand boycotts.
Update again: Poland boycotts.
