The Conference for Racism in Geneva starting April 20th was intended to review and discuss progress made against racism since the last conference held in Durban, South Africa in 2001 from which North America and Israel walked out. European Union delegates whom attended the conference, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the holocast in which Jews were persecuted and many killed, walked out following comments made by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's message that will be remembered not for his views that he has expressed before, but for the forum in which he chose to express them."that after the Second World War the United States and other nations had established a "cruel, oppressive and racist regime in occupied Palestine"...... The UN security council has stabilised this occupation regime and supported it in the last 60 years giving them a free hand to continue their crimes,"
The U.S., Australia, Italy & Canada chose not to attend the conference in Geneva. The U.S. decision not to attend this year followed intense lobbying by pro-Israel groups in America and Obama said he was not certain that this years conference would not single out Israel and treatment of Palestians by Israeli forces.
"This decision is inconsistent with the administration's policy of engaging with those we agree with and those we disagree with"
Barbara Lee,
chair of the congressional black caucus
Ban Ki Moon, the U.N. Chief said this conference has been misused to divide and accuse and even to insult.
Sources: Aljazeera News Hour, Sky News broadcast 20/4/09
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