UN summit approves anti-racism declaration
More than 100 countries at a global meeting on racism in Geneva have agreed on a declaration calling on the world to combat intolerance.
The declaration, finalised three days before the end of the conference, reaffirms a 2001 statement issued after the United Nations’ first global racism meeting in Durban, South Africa.
Israel was the only nation named in that first declaration. This was cited by the United States as a reason to boycott the Geneva meeting, dubbed Durban II.
The decision by consensus on Tuesday comes a day after the UN meeting was shaken by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s fiery condemnation of Israel as a “racist” country.
That speech prompted a walkout by European Union countries. The Swiss ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Dante Martinelli, remained in the conference room. The foreign ministry said Ahmadinejad had the right to freedom of expression.
Italy was among several countries that joined the United States in boycotting the conference.
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