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U.S. to Help Plan "Durban II" Conference

[AP/Ha'aretz] Matthew Lee - The Obama administration said Saturday it would participate in planning for the World Conference Against Racism, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, in April. The U.S. and Israel walked out of the first UN conference on racism in Durban, South Africa, in 2001 over efforts to pass a resolution comparing Zionism - the movement to establish and maintain a Jewish state - to racism. Israel has already decided to boycott the "Durban II" conference, while Canada has also said it will not participate, maintaining the meeting will promote racism and not combat it. A number of Obama officials reportedly pressed Secretary of State Clinton to announce the U.S. would participate in the conference, including U.S. ambassador to the UN Susan Rice, and Samantha Power, an adviser at the National Security Council.
2009-02-16 06:00:00
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