Awaiting word from Israel . . .

 

U.S. undecided on joining 'racism' conference

GENEVA (AP)—The United Nations' top human rights official on Friday expressed hope that differences over an accord on racism had been narrowed enough that the United States would drop its threat to boycott a U.N. racism convention.

"What we are all now focusing on is how to ensure that the United States . . . will be at Durban with all other states," said Mary Robinson, U.N. high commissioner for human rights.

Negotiators failed to agree on wording of the accord before adjourning Friday, two hours before the midnight deadline. Robinson said she was encouraged because negotiatiors had erased some differences. Work will resume when the World Conference Against Racism opens Aug. 31 in Durban.

The United States has warned that it will not attend the conference unless language it regards as offensive toward Israel is removed from draft statements.

But U.S. officials said a final decision by Washington was not expected before next week.

Israeli Ambassador Yaakov Levy protested Friday that "the same shameful language" on the Middle East that was in draft documents when the negotiating session began had not been removed.

"Consequently Israel will have to reconsider its participation in the Durban conference in the days to come," Levy said.

Robinson, however, said she was encouraged by progress made in the past two weeks.

U.S. negotiators, who walked out of discussions Thursday evening, also had rejected any direct mention of Palestine.

But the announcement Friday that the United States appeared "at least willing to look at possible text" on Palestinians' suffering was "very significant," Robinson said.

"We've come a long way," she said. "A lot remains to be done, but a framework has emerged."

Israel also walked out Thursday over wording proposed by the 57-country Organization of the Islamic Conference, with Levy saying it denigrated the suffering of Jews under the Nazis.

The Arab group had removed direct references condemning Zionism, the movement that led to the founding of the modern state of Israel. But in acknowledging the Holocaust, the proposal referred to it as "the Jewish holocaust in Europe"—with a small "h," in defiance of Jewish demands.