Canada may abandon anti-racism conference, insiders say Steven Edwards, Canwest News Service Published: Tuesday, January 22
UNITED NATIONS- Canada is poised to become the first country to significantly distance itself from a major anti-racism conference that the United Nations is planning for next year. Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier is expected to announce as early as Wednesday that Canada is dropping out of planning for the UN's Durban II Conference - which the international organization is billing as a follow-up to its controversial 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa. Insiders say the government feels the new conference is shaping up to be a copy of the anti-West and anti-Israel free-for-all critics said the initial gathering turned into. The Conservative government is expected to counter the anticipated criticism that it is not serious about combatting racism around the world by stating Canada remains committed to anti-racism principles. It will also argue that planning for Durban II veers from those principles, rendering Canada's participation impossible. "At the moment, much of the planning for the conference suggests it will focus little on denouncing racism wherever it occurs, and a lot on advancing some countries' agendas against Israel and the West," said one insider familiar with the new policy. "The government feels that taking a stand against the gathering will do more in the long run for combatting racism than joining in." Verbal attacks on Israel from predominantly Muslim and Arab countries so dominated the 2001 conference that the United States and Israel walked out in protest. Canada - then under a Liberal administration - stayed, but the senior Canadian delegate told the assembly it did so "only... to... decry the attempts... to de-legitimize the State of Israel and to dishonour the history and suffering of the Jewish people." The 2001 conference also saw Nigeria and Zimbabwe lead African countries in a demand that western powers apologize for the trans- Atlantic slave trade, and pay huge reparations. The UN routinely launches "review" conferences of big meetings, and member states decided late in 2006 there should be a follow-up to Durban I. Hopes in the West this one might be different were soon dashed. The UN gave planning oversight to its Human Rights Council which, since its launch less than two years ago, has targeted Israel in 14 of its 15 resolutions charging human rights violations. States sitting on the council then placed Iran, which has called for Israel's destruction, on an executive planning committee. Libya is the chair. Beyond the topic of Israel, some Arab and Muslim countries also want the 2009 agenda to focus on what they call Islamophobia. While that could mean a legitimate study of discrimination against Muslims, UN skeptics say it is actually code to characterize western anti- terrorism efforts as a plot to subjugate Islam. "Make no mistake, Durban II is on track to be even worse than Durban I," said Anne Bayefsky, a Canadian academic who edits the New York- based monitoring website EyeontheUN.org. "Canada, if it drops out, would be exhibiting moral clarity and courage after making the mistake at Durban I of staying despite serious reservations." Canada was among 41 mainly advanced democracies that last month opposed slating $6.8 million US in UN funding to help pay for preparatory meetings for Durban II - but the measure carried in the 192-member General Assembly. The United States took the extra step of voting against the UN's overall operating budget because it included the $6.8 million. But while some in the U.S. House of Representatives now want legislation preventing U.S. funds from being used for the conference, Canada's new policy establishes a new level of protest. "No one can stop Durban II because countries that are classified as less than democratic hold a majority in the General Assembly, and they are for it," added Bayefsky. "Canada's move would not only be consistent with its opposition at the General Assembly, but also encourage other democratic countries to follow suit, and send a strong signal de-legitimizing the final gathering." A venue for the 2009 gathering has yet to be decided. Developing countries are opposed to a European Union proposal to save costs by using UN buildings either in New York or Geneva. Planners, meanwhile, have slotted the two preparatory sessions in 2008 for dates that overlap major Jewish holidays in April and October - making it difficult for observant Jews to attend. Conservative party insiders say they're hopeful the government's new policy will attract Liberal support. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=2b43d5aa-9e5d- 4181-8a01-75ae3aba1ead&k=78780 Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
