UN Surprised by US and European Withdrawal

Durban United Nations, April 19 (FL).- The UN Human Rights Commissioner, Navi  Pillay, expressed surprise and disillusion today at the decision of the United States, as well as some other European countries to withdraw from the conference  to revise the agreements of the Summit against Racism.

The meeting will begin tomorrow in Geneva, after the agreement on Friday by all the parties-including the American delegation-of an outline document. “I am surprised and deeply disappointed by the decision of United States not to attend the conference dedicated to combat racism, xenophobia, racial discrimination and other forms of intolerance throughout the world" Pillay said. An announcement also disclosed in the UN headquarters points out that a minority group of countries have allowed one or two topics to dominate the focus of the debate against racism.This has caused more attention to be focused on those than on the concerns of numerous groups of people who suffer racism and other forms of intolerance everywhere in the world on a daily basis, it added.

In opinion of the High Commissioner, these are really global issues and it is essential that they discussed at a world level, however sensitive and difficult they are. Pillay states that it was possible to have overcome the difficulties put forward by the United States, fundamentally the condemnation of the actions of Israel against the Palestinians in the occupied territories.