Czechs pull out of UN’s “Durban III” racism conference

PRESS RELEASE

UN Watch calls on other EU states to follow

GENEVA — UN Watch commended the Czech government for announcing that it will stay away from the UN’s Sept. 22nd commemoration of the 2001 Durban conference, a supposed anti-racism gathering that turned into what many called a global festival of hate.

The Geneva-based rights group called on EU states and other democracies to follow suit, noting that Italy and the Netherlands recently joined the Czechs in delivering a tough statement at a June 24 UN meeting, objecting to the 2001 Durban declaration’s politicized references to the Middle East. A first draft for the Sept. 22 declaration has been circulated and will be presented next week at a UN meeting.

“The Durban process has been marked by ugly displays of intolerance and anti-Semitism, and that is not something that should be commemorated,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer.

“We are further concerned by the timing and venue, given that New York will have just held solemn ten-year memorials for those murdered in the September 11 terrorist attacks.”

“UN Watch, founded by US civil rights pioneer Morris Abram, is fully committed to combating discrimination, intolerance, and bigotry, and to promoting human rights for all.  We call on all democracies to join us in opposing the attempts by dictators and despots to use the Durban process to hijack this noble cause.”

Canada was the first to announce it would not participate in the planned “Durban III” summit of world leaders, followed by Israel and the United States.