Durban | Wednesday
AS the World Conference Against Racism enters its fifth day on Wednesday, the working group that will negotiate the compromise language over the controversial Middle East issue is expected to begin drafting a new text.
The working group will be tasked with removing all racist language from the draft declaration of the conference and the final plan of action. The composition of the team was still being negotiated on Tuesday.
This followed the withdrawal of the United States and Israeli delegations from the conference on Monday after the collapse of negotiations with the Arab/Islam bloc.
Egypt said it would never accept a document which did not declare Israel a racist state. An agreement on a new text was brokered by South African Foreign Affairs Minister and WCAR President Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Monday.
Belgium, which holds the presidency of the 15-member EU Council, had been mandated to participate in the drafting group, said EU representative Koen Vervaeke.
“After consultation among partners the EU estimates that the draft presented by the presidency of the conference constitutes an acceptable base for negotiations.
“The EU reaffirms its willingness to contribute in a constructive way to the work of the conference and to support all the efforts Madame Zuma is undertaking,” Vervaeke said.
United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson said on Tuesday the conference was on track and there was a positive spirit among the remaining countries to address other real issues.
She said the third daily plenary, held in the evenings, would be dropped to allow the drafting committee to work until late to finish the text. – AFP