U.S. Withdraws from World Conference
Against Racism
(September 3, 2001)
The World Conference Against Racism held in Durban, South Africa, turned into a
campaign to delegitmize Israel and brand Zionism
as racism. The United States warned organizers
it would withdraw from the conference if these efforts
were not dropped and worked for weeks to ensure the conference would stick to
its subject and not single out one nation for criticism.
That effort failed and the U.S. withdrew. The following is the text of Secretary
of State Colin Powell's statement:
Today I have instructed
our representatives at the World Conference
Against Racism to return home. I have taken
this decision with regret, because of the
importance of the international fight against
racism and the contribution that the Conference
could have made to it. But, following discussions
today by our team in Durban and others who
are working for a successful conference, I
am convinced that will not be possible. I
know that you do not combat racism by conferences
that produce declarations containing hateful
language, some of which is a throwback to
the days of "Zionism equals racism;"
or supports the idea that we have made too
much of the Holocaust;
or suggests that apartheid exists in Israel;
or that singles out only one country in the
world--Israel--for censure and abuse.
I deeply respect the goals of South African President
Mbeki and Foreign Minister Zuma in hosting this conference.
I strongly support the good work of Secretary General
Annan to try to make it come out right. The United States
and delegations interested in a successful outcome had
worked productively in Durban on the other key issues
of the Conference and were hopeful that they could be
resolved. I wish that it could have turned out more
successfully.
Sources: U.S.
State Department |