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| EU threatens boycott of 'Durban II' |
| 2009-03-17 |
| The European Union said Monday it could boycott a UN conference on racism next month unless Muslim nations end attempts to strongly criticize Israel in the meeting's final document. Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the EU presidency, said EU nations were "very skeptical" over the direction of negotiations on a declaration being drafted for the so-called Durban II conference. He adds the 27-nation bloc will attempt to push for changes but "there is a strong call to withdraw" if they are not successful. Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said his country would not attend the April 20-25 meeting in Geneva unless "radical changes" were made to the draft text, which includes what he has called "aggressive and anti-Semitic statements." United States, Canada and Israel have also said they fear the UN talks will be marred by attempts to attack Israel and shield Islamic countries from criticism over their records. Washington has imposed conditions similar to EU nations' and Israel and Canada have already announced they will boycott. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned the Geneva meeting "might be abused to produce one-sided statements" about the Middle East peace process and European and American policy in the Muslim and Arab world. "I am in favor of canceling participation in the conference, unless the documents are changed substantially within the next hours and days," said Steinmeier. Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said a draft backed by the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference "limits itself to Israel-bashing, anti-Semitism, limiting freedom of speech and other dubious texts." The Islamic group of countries, many angry over cartoons and films attacking Muslims, has been campaigning for wording that would equate criticism of a religious faith with a violation of human rights. They were also pushing to equate Zionism with racism and banning the possibility of anyone to change his or her religion, Verhagen said. The Geneva talks are meant to review progress in fighting racism since the previous summit in South Africa. That meeting was marred by harsh criticism of Israel and anti-Israel demonstrations at a parallel conference of non-governmental organizations. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said a draft backed by the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference "limits itself to Israel-bashing, anti-Semitism, limiting freedom of speech and other dubious texts." High irony, considering the treatment Madam the Foreign Minister's country doled out to Dutch MP Wilder as a result of his exercising his right to speak freely. It seems to me Great Britain has recently displayed concerning behaviour in that direction as well. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-03-17 10:17 |
| #3 But will relent eventually. As said in this article, Italy already has announced it will boycott the "durban" meeting - but, then again, Italy's gvt is relatively conservative, and clearly populist, that is very unlike most of euro-gvts. Still, I think the others States will either follow the lead, or possibly try to accomodate both sides, IE going only to walk out, losing face, but paying respect to the globalist dogma. In France, one Mp, Claude Goasguen also is trying to rally the pols against participating to "durban II", not so much on behalf of fighting against antisemitism, though it's one issue, for sure, but because it would mean acquiescing to the lawfare & psychological blackmail of our ennemies. Looks like it's shaping up to be a third world anti semitic circle jerk... Well, IIRC, it's presided over by Human Rights luminary libya, with others conference organizrers being iran, cuba, and pakistan, so... yeah. Still, in 2001, the arab & muslim countries were backed not only by remnants of commies dictatorships like cuba, but by a major player, china, who used this as awedge to try and destabilize the "world order of western values", meaning using the revendications of those muslim dumbf*cks to relativize human rights and turn them against the West (just like those chinese youtube commenters asserting that the Us police is more repressive than the chinese one, could be true on some level, and that the USA are more of a dictatorship than the chicoms, with their racism, discrimination,...). Expect putin's russia to go along this pretty obvious trick, using the "darkies" as proxy agains their ideological ennemy. But, then again, subverting the Un always has been the forte of commies (see this), through third worldism and/or anti-white racism, and now muslims do this as well (though exactly the same methods, enabled not by any kind of political or military clout like the USSR used to have, but by a sea of petrodollars). |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2009-03-17 09:36 |
| #2 Looks like it's shaping up to be a third world anti semitic circle jerk... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-03-17 09:11 |
| #1 But will relent eventually. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-03-17 04:49 |